Work goes on for Amherst County's Leon Parrish

At 69, Leon Parrish is officially retired.

He bid goodbye to his 31-year career at a Lynchburg manufacturing company more than a decade ago, and last month ended his 16-year run on the Amherst County Board of Supervisors.

But, retired or not, when someone calls him asking for help, Parrish still answers.

His most recent commitment came just before Christmas: He agreed to serve as vice-president for Amherst County Habitat for Humanity.

“What can I say? I like to serve,” Parrish said.

Parrish has served on the organization’s board for the past two years, but his affiliation with the nonprofit goes back farther than that.

“I helped on the very first house they built in Madison Heights,” he recalled.

Parrish’s longtime commitments don’t begin and end with Habitat for Humanity.

Since 1993, he has occupied the District 5 Seat on the board of supervisors, representing Old Town Madison Heights.

He also served on the Amherst County School Board for 10 years prior to his terms as supervisor and was a member of the county’s Electoral Board in the early 1980s.

Parrish’s career in public service will end in this month, when Madison Heights resident Frank Campbell takes over the seat.

At his last official board meeting on Dec. 15, Parrish reflected on his time in county government.

“It has been a learning experience and a rewarding experience,” he said, after both he and another outgoing board supervisor, Vernon Wood, were recognized for their service.

During his four terms, Parrish has served on a host of boards and committees, including the Amherst County Planning Commis-sion, the Central Virginia Services Board and the Joint Cooperation Committee.

A lifelong resident of Madison Heights, Parrish said that he has always had a desire to serve his community.

“I wish people could understand that serving people is a great thing. To serve someone is the highest honor.”

Parrish said that he learned the challenges of public service early on in his career.

When he first was elected to the board of supervisors, the Town of Amherst had annexed land from the county and the two bodies were having trouble working together.

“We were at odds with each other,” he said. “The town wanted the county to take care of a lot of functions that the county thought should be town functions.”

Assigned to the Joint Cooperation Committee, Parrish said that part of his job was establishing communication between the two entities.

“We got communication going. We got to where we could really talk things over,” Parrish said.

This experience, as well as others, taught him that public service was a team effort.

“Any achievement the county made, we made it as a team. It was not only you alone. You had co-workers and county staff to help you with it.”

As he looks ahead towards the future, Parrish said that he hopes for good health and more time doing what he loves.

“I will spend more time with my wife and family,” Parrish said. “And I’ll do more hunting and fishing.”

Parrish added that although he will have no official role in county government, he intends to stay focused and committed to the issues that affect his community.

“I am going to continue to follow the county and its issues and be supportive of the things I feel are right.”

Although he has witnessed a lot of ups-and-downs during his public service, Parrish said that his desire to serve has never wavered.

“I’ve tried to be a servant to the people of Amherst County, and I have served them with a passion,” Parrish said. “I have truly loved what I’ve done.”