Nancy Parrish

Nancy Elaine Buchele Parrish (born November 9, 1948) is an American former politician and judge from Kansas. A member of the Democratic party, she has served in the Kansas State Senate, in the cabinet of Governor Joan Finney, and as a district judge in Shawnee County, Kansas.

Parrish grew up in Cedar Vale, Kansas[2] and attended Kansas State University as an undergraduate. She received a master's degree in special education from the University of Kansas, and a Juris Doctor degree from Washburn University School of Law. She worked as a public school teacher[3] and married Jim Parrish, a state legislator.[1]

In January 1980, Jim Parrish resigned his seat in the Kansas State Senate; in an interview, Nancy Parrish stated that the resignation was for business reasons.[4] When a Senator resigns, their replacement for the rest of the term is chosen by local party officials. Nancy Parrish actively campaigned for her seat and won amongst the precinct committee members; she was then re-elected in her own right in 1982, 1986 and 1990.

Parrish resigned the seat herself in January 1993, when she was appointed Secretary of Revenue by newly-elected Governor Joan Finney. During her tenure at the Revenue Department, she worked with state Senator Gus Bogina to modernize the computing system of the department.[2] In 1994, Finney named her a judge in the Third Judicial District, covering Shawnee County.[3]

Parrish served for 27 years as a judge, including as chief judge of her district from 2005 to 2013. She presided over more than 100 jury trials, retiring on June 24, 2022.[3]