By Alexis Campbell
Three years ago Oliver Ames High School lost their biggest fan. For those of you who never got the chance to meet him, Larry Parthree sat at a desk everyday in the atrium greeting students as they walked in. He continued to sit there all day to brighten anyone’s mood who needed it most. No matter who you were, everyone knew Parthree, but he had a special love for sports, especially softball.
Over the years he became the team’s grandfather. He came to almost every game and even rode the bus with us to away games when he could. However Parthree did not sit in the front of the bus, he sat in the single seat in the back. We were his family and he was ours. that seat will always remain reserved. He made everyone happy and laugh with his heavy southern accent and smile. One of Parthree’s notorious habits was writing his favorite quotes down for students he felt needed it the most.
One of these quotes was, “giving anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”
Today we remember him by this quote. It is the heart and soul of this team like he was. Whether he was telling the team funny stories or telling us to hit the goddamn ball, he made everyone feel welcome. Thank you Parthree for not only inspiring me to always seize the moment, but for also being my first friend at OA. Fly high Parthree. Today we play for you as you watch from the best seat in the house.