02/14/2025
A great Marine, a great leader, a great motivator, and a great man. Gone too soon. Semper Fi SgtMaj
USMC Ret. Sergeant Major Todd M. Parisi, 49, of St. Marys, died unexpectedly on Thursday, March 29, 2018, at his home.
He was born Oct. 9, 1968, in St. Marys, a son of the late Carol Wickett Parisi and Louis Parisi of Kersey.
Sergeant Major Todd M. Parisi enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in October 1985 and entered recruit training in September 1986 at 2d Battalion, Company F, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina. Upon graduation as a Private First Class, he attended the Infantry Training School at Camp Geiger, North Carolina. He graduated as the Bravo Company Honor man, was assigned the MOS of 0311, and was promoted to Lance Corporal. After completing training as an infantryman, he was assigned to Marine Barracks Subic Bay, Republic of the Philippines for Security Force duty where he served from March 1987 until September 1988. He then transferred to 1st Battalion 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, where he served as a Scout/Scout-Sniper and remained there until September 1991. During his assignment with 1st Battalion 7th Marines, Sergeant Major Parisi served as a Scout-Sniper team leader during Operation’s Desert Shield/Desert Storm with Task Force Ripper. He was selected the 1995 Rookie of the Year, Recruiter of the Year in 1996 and was the Centurion Award recipient in 1997. He also served in support of Iraqi Freedom. In 2011, he assumed duties as the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, deploying forward as the senior enlisted advisor for the theater response force in support of real-world contingencies.
Sergeant Major Parisi’s personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (with gold star in lieu of second award, Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with three gold stars in lieu of 4th award), Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (with gold star in lieu of 2d award), the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon and he was also the recipient of the Major General Clayton B. Vogel Award for leadership excellence in the 2d Marine Division. He was a graduate of the Keystone Course at the National Defense University, earned a Bachelor of Arts in organizational management from Ashford University and was also a state-certified foster parent.
Sergeant Major Parisi retired from the Marine Corps in September 2014.
Todd was a highly esteemed motivational speaker who enjoyed fishing and was the co-founder of the local youth group Team Spartan. He will be forever remembered for his outstanding and faithful service to his country and to others.
Todd is survived by his father, Louis Parisi and his wife, Helen of Kersey; his three children, Alyssa (Dale Dibble Jr.) Parisi of Jacksonville, North Carolina, Dylan (Angela) Parisi of Hawaii and Jonathan Parisi of Greensboro, North Carolina; his beloved grandchildren, Bentley Weidman and Adelynn Parisi; three sisters, Brenda (Scott) Mullens, Cheryl (Bryan) Caton and Connie Andrews, all of Emporium; one brother, Donnie (Ann) Losey of Emporium; his fiancee, Amy Bryant of Lenoir, North Carolina; and by his former wife, Diana Parisi of Florida.
In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by twin sons, Louie and Bernie Parisi.
