A woman wearing a red jacket walked in the the East Dining Room at El Camino College on Monday, Feb. 12.

The Celebration of Life memorial service for Parrish Geary, former dean of student support services, was about to begin.

Geary’s picture rested on an easel on the podium in front of the room. He was smiling in the photo, wearing the same red fraternity jacket the woman, his wife Angela Geary-Maradiaga, was now wearing to his memorial service.

Geary’s mother, Renee Geary, sat next to Geary-Maradiaga. Along with Geary’s wife and mother, over 75 El Camino faculty and staff attended the service as well.

The memorial began with a few words from Director of the Student Development Office Ricky Gonzalez.

“[Geary] was a leader, passionate, empathetic and a true agent of systemic change,” Gonzalez said.

On Dec. 28, 2023, Geary died after being in “a three-vehicle crash,” according to LAPD.

Geary’s first semester as the dean of student support services at El Camino was from August 2023 to December 2023.

As the service continued, tissues were being passed around by everyone in attendance.

Charlene Brewer-Smith’s daughter, Brooke Brewer, sang a rendition of “Hero” by Mariah Carey. Brewer-Smith is a professor of cosmetology and the Academic Senate President.

She was also close with Geary and called him her “little big brother.”

El Camino President Brenda Thames also spoke during the memorial.

“I am grateful for the time we had him here, and thank you to Geary’s family for sharing him with us,” Thames said.

Brewer-Smith then got up to speak during the service as well.

“He left a legacy of treating people well and making people feel good,” she said.

When everyone spoke about Geary, not only did they talk about his warm-hearted personality, they also talked about his “shoe game.”

“He had an amazing, immaculate shoe game,” Brewer-Smith joked during the memorial.

As the service came to an end, Geary’s wife Maradiaga-Geary spoke while fighting back tears.

“If he could see the number of lives he inspired and profoundly impacted, he would undoubtedly know his life was well lived,” she said.

Maradiaga-Geary said Geary was working hard to achieve his doctorate. He had turned in his dissertation 11 days before the accident, which eventually got him the title, “Doctor Parrish Geary.”

The title was well-deserved, she said.

The Doctor Parrish Geary Scholarship was announced during the service and will be run by El Camino.

Gonzalez said the scholarship aims to “help support the educational pursuits of students who embodied the qualities that Parrish was fostering with every student interaction he was a part of.”

On a pamphlet given to everyone at the memorial, it mentions that the scholarship “will serve as a lasting tribute to [Geary’s] legacy.”

The service ended with the Assistant Director of the Veterans Program Maj. Brenda Threatt reading Geary’s eulogy.

Brooke Brewer sang “Wind Beneath My Wings” by Bette Midler, while the attendees were asked to shine their flashlight phones to “represent the light Geary was on campus.”

Maradiaga-Geary said these are the words Geary would say if he were still here:

“Learn as if you will live forever, live like you will die tomorrow, and all while wearing a clean pair of Jordans.”