Rodney Parrish Dempsey, 86, of Shelbyville, died Thursday January 18, 2024 at the University of Louisville Hospital after complications from a fall. A native of Greenville, Kentucky, he was born on July 31, 1937 to Howard Leslie Dempsey and Clyde Wheeler Parrish Dempsey. He graduated from Greenville High School in 1955 and from Kentucky Wesleyan College in 1962 with an B.A. in History where he helped establish the Sigma Nu chapter.
After working in Florida for a year, he returned to Kentucky, where he worked as a Sales Representative for Investors Heritage Life Insurance Company, Later, he worked for the Legislative Research Commission and the Kentucky Department of Commerce and as Assistant to Lieutenant Governor Harry Lee Waterfield. While working in Frankfort he met an aide in Governor Breathitt’s Office, Mary Lu Miller. They fell in love and were married on April 10, 1965.
He began a career in industrial development with a move to the Southern Kentucky Industrial Development Authority in Hopkinsville, where he was named the Jaycees’ Outstanding Young Man for 1971. From there, he became Executive Director of the Hopkinsville/Christian County Chamber of Commerce. In 1977 he returned to Frankfort to become Executive Director of the Kentucky Industrial Development Finance Authority and became the first Certified Industrial Developer in the state of Kentucky. He then successfully shifted to sales and sold trucking services as a Regional Director for Ligon Specialized Haulers. Later in his career he returned to public service, working with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and Kentucky State University to develop aquaculture and farmer’s markets in the state. After retiring he served as a SCORE volunteer and was sent to Slovakia and North Macedonia. He also worked as an SBA volunteer in the post disaster cleanups in North Dakota and New York.
He had a profoundly deep faith and was very devoted to Jesus Christ and to religious life. He was active in many churches throughout his life and was chosen to be a Sunday School Teacher, an Elder or a Deacon in most of them, including Greenville First Baptist, Hopkinsville First Christian (Disciples), Hopkinsville First Presbyterian, Meadowthorpe Presbyterian (Lexington), South Frankfort Presbyterian, Louisville First Christian (Disciples), Shelbyville First Christian (Disciples) and Simpsonville Christian (Disciples). He was involved in the Walk to Emmaus and many other prayer and Bible study groups and in countless other faith related projects. He treasured his church families and found many deep and lasting friendships in the church.
He was devoted to his beloved wife Mary Lu. He loved his family. He loved to garden, to travel and to eat good food. He loved people and could (and would) talk to anyone. He was active in many civic organizations and causes and would often quietly do acts of service for people in need. He was a CASA volunteer and worked extensively with the Prison Fellowship Ministry, the Justice Fellowship and other prison ministry groups.
He was predeceased by his parents, his wife, and a sister Mary Howard Dempsey Bruner.
Survived include a sister Susan Faye Dempsey Gudorf of Dayton, Ohio; two sons Frank Leslie Dempsey (Susan) of Bagdad and Thomas Parrish Dempsey of Louisville; two granddaughters Lucille Marie Dempsey of Superior, Wisconsin and Patricia Leslie “Juniper” Dempsey of Louisville; great-granddaughter Parker Lynn Dempsey Valentine of Superior, Wisconsin.
A memorial service will be held on February 10, 2024 at 2:30 p.m. at the Simpsonville Christian Church with visitation from 12:00 until the service.
