jim parsley was one of six children born to rodger and elysie (nichols) parsley in layhill, maryland. after high school he went to work for the u.s. post office and was named to the team of five who were the first to experiment with the newly invented 5 digit zip code machine. he joined the u.s. army in 1945 and served in world war ii where he was stationed in paris as a message center clerk. during the war he received an army of occupation medal and world war ii victory medal.