Carolyn Miller Parr (born April 17, 1937) was a judge of the
United States Tax Court
The United States Tax Court (in case citations, T.C.) is a Federal judiciary of the United States, federal trial court court of record, of record established by US Congress, Congress under Article One of the United States Constitution, Article ...
from 1985 to 2002.
Early life, education, and career
Born in
Palatka, Florida
Palatka () is a city in and the county seat of Putnam County, Florida, Putnam County, Florida, United States. Palatka is the principal city of the Palatka Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is home to 72,893 residents. The Palatka micropolitan ...
, to Arthur C. and Audrey Dunklin Miller, Parr received a
B.A.
A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree ...
in English from
Stetson University
Stetson University is a private university in DeLand, Florida, United States. Established in 1883 as DeLand Academy, it was later renamed John B. Stetson University in honor of John B. Stetson.
The university's main campus in DeLand spans 175 ...
in 1959, followed by an
M.A.
A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...
in English from
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...
Georgetown University Law Center
Georgetown University Law Center is the Law school in the United States, law school of Georgetown University, a Private university, private research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It was established in 1870 and is the largest law ...
in 1977.''Official Congressional Directory'' (2002), p. 866-67.
Parr served as senior trial attorney for the
Internal Revenue Service
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the revenue service for the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, which is responsible for collecting Taxation in the United States, U.S. federal taxes and administerin ...
from 1977 to 1982, and as special counsel to the Assistant Attorney General, and Acting Chief, Office of Special Litigation in the Tax Division of the
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a United States federal executive departments, federal executive department of the U.S. government that oversees the domestic enforcement of Law of the Unite ...
from 1982 to 1985. In 1982, she was also chair of the Board of Directors of Heritage Christian Church.
Judicial career and later life
In 1985, Parr was nominated by President
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
to a 15-year term in a seat on the Tax Court vacated by the retirement of William M. Fay, and took her oath of office on November 25, 1985. While serving on the court in 1997, she ruled that the estate of former Tennessee Governor
Ray Blanton
Leonard Ray Blanton (April 10, 1930 – November 22, 1996)Fred Rolater"Leonard Ray Blanton" ''Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture'', 2009. Retrieved: December 31, 2012.kickbacks received by the governor.
Following her service on the Tax Court, Parr co-founded a mediation and arbitration firm called "Beyond Disputes Associates".Josh Tapper, "Study: Age, wisdom go hand in hand", ''Port Charlotte Sun'' (August 12, 2010), p. 1.
Personal life
Parr married Jerry Parr in 1959, with whom she had three daughters, Kimberly, Jennifer, and Trish. Jerry Parr served as a
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security tasked with conducting criminal investigations and providing protection to American political leaders, thei ...
agent, and became famous for saving President
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
from an assassination attempt in 1981; Jerry and Carolyn Parr co-authored his memoir, ''In the Secret Service: The True Story Of The Man who Saved President Reagan''. Jerry Parr died of
congestive heart failure
Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is a syndrome caused by an impairment in the heart's ability to fill with and pump blood.
Although symptoms vary based on which side of the heart is affected, HF typically pr ...
at a hospice in Washington, D.C., on October 9, 2015, aged 85, survived by his wife of nearly 56 years.