The youngest child of Thomas Henry Brinsmead and Matilda McMaster was christened Constance Isabella Brinsmead but in later life opted for the simpler Isabel Constance. She was born on November 23rd, 1897 in Toronto, Ontario, four years after the couple's only other daughter, Gertrude Estelle had died, at age 5. She grew up with four older brothers; Tom, Percy, Horace and Bert. By the time she was a teenager, Isabel found herself moving with her family to Webbwood, Ontario, which must have seemed quite different from the City of Toronto. At seventeen, in the early summer of 1914, she moved West with the family to Loverna.
Isabel taught school at Antelope Park for a short while.
In 1922, Isabel accompanied her parents on a trip to Ottawa for the Press Convention, during which time she attended the tea party given for the group by the Governor General at Rideau Hall.
Isabel married Thomas Herbert ("Herb") Parry on July 2nd, 1923 at Loverna, Saskatchewan.
He had been born in Toronto, Ontario, on May 29th, 1880, so she was 26 and he was 43 at the time of their marriage. He was the son of a Welsh father, William Perry, and a Canadian mother, Sarah Butler. Herb farmed just outside Loverna where he had lived for some time with his sister Margaret Louisa Parry and his widowed mother Sarah. A brother James and his family farmed next door. In 1916 they were all listed as baptists. However, he played the organ at the United Church during the First World War.
Soon after getting married, they left Canada and moved to Detroit. Their only child, Thomas H. Parry Jr. (known as "Tom"), was born there on June 28th, 1928. Two years later, on the US 1930 census, the family are living in Detroit, and Herb, aged 49, is working as a carpenter, building homes. Herb's father had also been a carpenter. The couple moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1944, presumably at the time of Herb's retirement.
Once in Fort Lauderdale, Isobel worked as the director of a daycare center, the Jack and Jill Nursery, started by the Methodist Church in the City's downtown area. She continued as director once the service was taken over by Social Services.
Herb Parry passsed away in 1947, in Florida. Isabel remained there until 1978. She would travel for her three weeks vacation each year.
In her later years, Isabel moved to Clemson to be with her son and daughter in law. She passed away on May 10, 1989. at age 91. A graveside service was held on June 27th, 1989 at the Evergreen Cemetry in Clemson.
Tom Jnr's early education was in the Detroit Public School system. When the family moved to Fort Lauderdale, he attended, and then in 1946 graduated from Ft. Lauderdale High School. He then attended the University of Florida, graduating in 1950 with his BAE degree.
After graduating, Tom served in the military in Korea. When he returned, he enrolled in a Masters program at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. It was there, in 1955, that he met Frances Ellen Coley.
Ellen Coley grew up in Waynesboro, Virginia, graduating from Waynesboro high school in 1949. She then took a degree in English from Agnes Scott College. After teaching for a time in Petersburg, Virginia, she enrolled in the University of Virginia and, by then married, graduated with her Masters degree in 1958.
Tom Parry Jnr. married Frances Ellen Coley on August 15th, 1956. They had a daughter Virginia who passed away after only two days, in late February, 1959. They then had two sons, William Thomas Parry ("Bill") and Robert Brinsmead Parry ("Bob"). Once married, Tom Jnr. continued with his education, obtaining his Doctorate from the University of Virginia in 1967. Tom then took a position on the Faculty at Clemson University in South Carolina. His area of expertise was in Counseling and Guidance Services.
Frances Ellen spent over 38 years in the public school systems of Virginia, Florida and South Carolina, for eight years as a teacher and for thirty years as a library media specialist. The couple raised sons Bill and bob both of whom graduated from Daniel High School in Clemson. Bill then attended Clemson University and Thomas Nelson community College. Bob attended Emory University and Clemson University He graduated with highest honours from Thomas Nelson Community College in 2001.
Tom and Francis Ellen kept in touch with their Canadian Brinsmead relatives and travelled to Alberta for family reunions.
After retirement, the couple moved to Poquoson, Virginia. Francis Ellen focused her activities on the work of the Presbyterian Women at the local church and regional levels. Tom became very involved in the Kiwanis Club and in both the York and Scottish Rite aspects of Freemasonry. He also served on boards and agencies within the Poquoson community.
Tom passed away on July 12, 2010. A memorial service was held at Hidenwood Presbyterian Church, and burial followed, with military honours, at Hampton Veterans Memorial Gardens.