Edward “Mr. Ed” Parco
May 19, 1945 – March 13, 2017
Edward “Mr. Ed” Parco passed away at home on March 13, 2017, after a hard fought battle with cancer.
He was born in Pittsburgh, PA to the late Idolo and Mafalda (Politano) Parco, and raised in North Hollywood, CA. He was the eldest of 4 children, a responsible big brother to his 3 sisters.
Mr. Ed had a lifelong love affair with anything on four wheels, so it was only natural that he found a career in the automotive industry, primarily in dealerships in Southern California. From his first position as a Lot Boy, he worked hard to improve his skills and knowledge, holding titles of Parts Manager, Lease Manager, Finance Director, and Parts & Service Director during his long and successful career. Of particular note is his time with Keyes Toyota (Van Nuys, CA) where, as Parts Manager, he increased sales and productivity to become the #1 parts department in the country; an honor for which he was recognized by Toyota executives during a national conference trip to Japan.
Ed and second wife Marie (Hamer) Parco relocated to Reno in 1986, where he owned and managed two automotive repair centers, selling them in 1995.
In addition to his passionate interest and appreciation for cars of all makes, models and years, Mr. Ed loved seeing new places, learning new things, and meeting new people. During his life, he was able to travel to almost all 50 states, plus Canada, Mexico, Germany, Austria and Japan. A hard-working, adventurous and curious man, he was known for his love of animals, his sense of humor, his ability to strike up a conversation with just about anyone, his strong will and his zealous love for life.
Mr. Ed is survived by his beloved wife Marie and their son Daniel; former spouse Shelley Fletcher and their children Ed “Buddy” Jr (Katina), Michael, and Marcy (Richie Jamiolkowski) Parco; sisters Linda Johnson and Vyktorya (Larry) Anderson; grandchildren Alexa (Robbie Johnson), Christopher, Kelsey and Irena Parco; great-grandchildren Bryce and Mackenzie Johnson; nephew Nicholas (Susy) Teska and their son Jacob; nieces Brittany Teska and Hillary Johnson; and his adored feline Princess. He was preceded in death by parents Idolo and Mafalda Parco, sister Elizabeth Teska and nephew Jesse Johnson.
In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in his honor to Veteran’s Guest House (775-324-6958) or Animal Ark Wildlife Sanctuary (775-970-3111).
A celebration of Mr. Ed’s life and a memorial car show will be held at the McKinley Arts Center in Reno. We hope that all our friends in the classic car community will bring their cars, and join everyone in sharing happy, crazy, silly or moving memories about the wonderful man that was our husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and friend. For details, email Mr.Ed.Celebrate.Life@gmail.com