Proponent of women’s, children’s health leaves lasting legacy

THOMAS G. PARRIS JR., an advocate for women and children's health care who served as president and CEO of Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island for 30 years and whose vision led to the creation of Care New England, died March 19. / COURTESY WOMEN & INFANTS HOSPITAL OF RHODE ISLAND
THOMAS G. PARRIS JR., an advocate for women and children's health care who served as president and CEO of Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island for 30 years and whose vision led to the creation of Care New England, died March 19. / COURTESY WOMEN & INFANTS HOSPITAL OF RHODE ISLAND

PROVIDENCE – Thomas G. Parris Jr., 80, an advocate for the health care of women and children whose vision led to the creation of Care New England, died at Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Florida on March 19.

In 1973, Parris joined the then Lying-In Hospital, at the time a maternity hospital in Providence where women could safely give birth to children, which later became Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, where he served as president and CEO for 30 years.

During his leadership, Women & Infants developed a reputation as one of the strongest perinatal and women’s health centers in the country. It is now the primary teaching hospital in obstetrics, gynecology and newborn pediatrics of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

In 1996, Women & Infants was a founding member, along with Butler Hospital and Kent Hospital, of the Care New England health system, largely due to Parris’ vision for an integrated health care system to offer a continuum of quality care.

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Parris served on numerous civic and professional boards and received countless recognitions throughout his career. He retired in 2004.

Prior to his career in health care, Parris was an ROTC graduate at Pennsylvania State University and served in the U.S. Army for approximately nine years, where he completed Ranger and Airborne training and served as captain with the 14th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Bad Hersfeld, Germany during the Berlin Crisis. Following his service, Parris earned his Masters of Hospital Administration at the University of Pittsburgh.

Parris is survived by his wife, Mary; sons John and Will; daughter Jennifer; son-in-law Robert; and other extended family.

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