Obituary: Salvatore Parisi III, 1982-2015, Morrisville 

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• Salvatore Parisi III

This week, on his birthday, we celebrate our friend Sam. The tall, dark, and handsome Salvatore Parisi III passed away on November 12, 2015, leaving behind a loving family, a devoted wife, and an army of friends and animals who miss him daily.

Sam inspired us with his intellect, wit, honesty, and dependability. He was a hard worker and a tenacious problem solver. He was one of the funniest people we’ve known, with humor so well-placed that it had the power to overcome formidable challenges. When Sam was suddenly taken from us in the prime of his life, the world lost a genius, a loyal friend, and a good, gentle soul.

Sam was born on February 27, 1982 in Haddonfield, New Jersey and earned a degree in history from St. Joseph's College in Philadelphia. He served in Americorps, where he met and worked alongside his future wife, Darcy Kimball. After ten years of extraordinary friendship and collaboration, Sam and Darcy were married at their home in Morrisville on August 1, 2015.

Whether teaching people to ski or cutting timbers for post and beam projects, Sam brought his reassuring leadership style to all tasks. His herculean contributions to the Green Mountain Club have cemented his status as a legend in that community. He always brought the best of himself to the countless projects he completed, and he inspired others to do the same on the many GMC work crews that he led. His fine craftsmanship and rugged work ethic had no seasonal boundaries. He was competent and steady in all conditions. For years, Sam dedicated himself to building the 224-foot Long Trail suspension bridge that now crosses the Winooski River in Bolton. This bridge, like many of Sam’s projects, will outlast us all. It embodies the craftsman, friend, and lover-of-the-woods that Sam was, and it is the memorial that we will visit to pay homage to him for years to come.

We miss skiing with Sam, his languid grace cutting through deep snow. We miss the ease of his conversation, his many poignant opinions, his one-of-a-kind humor, and most everything about him. We have stories, pictures, and laughs to share, but there will never be enough. Sam, your loss leaves a hole that cannot be filled. We will miss you always.

We will gather on Sam’s birthday, February 27th at 5:00 p.m. at the Green Mountain Club (4711 Waterbury-Stowe Road, Waterbury Center, VT) to remember him together. All are welcome.

Contributions in memory of Sam Parisi may be made to the Green Mountain Club greenmountainclub.org or Lamoille Area Cancer Network lacnvt.org.