| Graduation Year | Class of 1995 |
| Date of Birth | Jan 27, 1976 |
| Date of Passing | Jul 20, 2021 |
| About | John-Marc was born on January 27, 1976, in Philadelphia, PA to James and Rosanettia (Rose) Parsons. John-Marc was faced with a medical challenge at the very early age of 3 when he was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a cancer of the eye, which left him with a loss of vision in one eye. Even as a young child he exhibited strength and resilience as he overcame this obstacle set before him. In 1979, his family moved to the West Coast where John-Marc spent his elementary and middle school years in Long Beach, CA. He developed a love for music as a young boy and learned to play the piano and the violin. His first love was the violin. His family relocated to Albany, NY in 1990 where he attended Albany High School. He started his undergraduate education in 1996 at the State University of New York at Albany where he became a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. In 1997, John-Marc was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and moved to Atlanta, GA in 1999 to continue his education at Georgia State University where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communication in 2009. He later entered a master’s program at Emory University Candler School of Theology. During his educational pursuit, he battled multiple medical complications of MS. However, despite the many obstacles faced by this disease he managed to complete his Master of Divinity degree in 2016. His dream was to pursue his PhD in Social Ethics with a focus on the role of the church versus the government in caring for the hungry and the impoverished. His hobbies and interests were reading, contemporary jazz, and photography. He had an infectious smile and a warm personality. John-Marc knew no stranger. He enjoyed the company of his friends. He was kind, caring, and always had a positive outlook on life. No matter the circumstance John-Marc was faced with he would always say, “I can’t complain.” Most importantly, he loved the Lord. His faith in God’s power to heal and restore was unyielding. Following his latest hospitalization with complications of MS, John-Marc passed from Earth to glory on July 20, 2021. He fought like a true soldier, exemplifying the courage and tenacity to push himself far beyond his physical limitations. Even during his last days on earth, the strength and courage that he epitomized throughout his life was evident as he fought tirelessly to beat this latest illness. In the end, God said to our soldier, John-Marc, “You have fought the good fight, you have finished the race, you have kept the faith. Well done my good and faithful servant.” He is preceded in death by his father James Parsons and his brother Michael Parsons. He leaves to cherish his memory his mother Rose Parsons who he affectionately called, “Queen Rose,” his brothers Paul (Marva) Parsons, Sr., Jacob (Latonya) Parsons, Matthew Parsons, Jonathan (Francine) Parsons, his sister Nina (Brian) Haley, his beloved best friend Desiree Hunter, 17 nieces and nephews, and a host of extended family and friends. |
