Long time Daytona Beach resident, Anita Parrish Emery, passed away unexpectedly but peacefully at her Daytona Highlands home on December 25, 2018 at the age of 80, attended by her beloved cats, Smudge and Ebony. Anita was the daughter of Ross and Lena Parrish. Born on November 15, 1938, she attended Lenox Avenue School and graduated from Seabreeze High, Class of 1956. She earned her Bachelor's Degree from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1960 and her Master's Degree in Education from the University of Florida in 1963. Following her schooling, Anita returned to Daytona Beach and began her career in elementary education at Lenox Avenue School before moving to Highlands Elementary, where she taught for nearly 20 years. In September of 1967, Anita married Don W. Emery, a well - known artist and teacher who preceded her in death in 1992. Although they had no children, they were both dearly loved by their nieces and nephew. During her lifetime, Anita visited Europe more than once, as well as Kenya, China, Alaska and made a trip down the east coast of South America and through the Straits of Magellan to Chile. She greatly enjoyed time spent in the Western North Carolina community of Balsam, going there fist in 1943 by train when there was a war going on and very limited gas and no tires. In the early 1950's the family built a vacation house there. Anita had a horse, Roxy and there were a number of places to ride, including the embankment of the Blue Ridge Parkway, which was graded but not paved. In recent years people still remembered the "girl on the black horse" riding "everywhere". Time there finally ended in 2015 when she and her brother concluded that the travel and upkeep of the house was getting to be too much, and it was sold. A major lifelong interest of Anita's was the well-being of small animals, both wild and domestic. She was active in the local trap, neuter and release program and was a benefactor of Daytona Beach Humane Society. Days typically ended with her brushing Smudge and Ebony by the gas log fire, all of them enjoying treats, hers  being served in a stem glass. Her other interests included the Garden Club, book groups, dinner groups, Unity Church, the Daytona and Ormond Libraries, and Daytona Beach history. At the giant sloth exhibit at the Museum of Arts and Sciences, she would point out that she had unearthed the thigh bone on an amateur dig. Anita was the historian and curator of the Parrish and Emery families and could recite the provenance of all the family treasures. One thing not to be found in her possession was a computer. She declined all offers, even as a gift, and channeling her inner Victorian, still corresponded in notes and letters written in longhand. Anita is survived by many, many friends who recall her as a delightfully witty and intelligent lady with charm and graciousness. She also leaves behind her brother, Donald Ross Parrish and his wife, Molly Spring Parrish of Croton on Hudson, N.Y., niece Sarah Parrish Christensen and her partner, Miles Deutsch of Rhinebeck, N.Y., nephew Ross Parrish of N.Y., great nephew Cody Christensen and his wife Alison Schwartz Christensen, great niece Noelle Christensen and her partner Ryan Lee and great grand- nephews; Caden Christensen and Greyson Lee, all of Red Hook, N.Y. A memorial service is being planned for a future date, but those who wish may make donations in Anita's memory to the Museum of Arts and Science (MOAS), 352 S. Nova Rd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, or to the Concerned Citizens for Animal Welfare, 216 Yorktowne Dr. Daytona Beach, FL. 32119