Doug Parsons made an indelible impact in his years practicing law in Sampson County, widely known to be a compassionate man of keen intellect, a true legal scholar and mentor to many. Parsons’ name is set to be etched in the fabric he held so dear as a court building will soon bear his name. It is a fitting tribute to a man whose intention was always to be just, fair and courteous to everyone — one who held law in the highest esteem.

When the Sampson Bar Association requested in early 2018 to have the Sampson County Courthouse Extension Building named after him, we wholeheartedly supported the move. After more than a year, the Sampson Board of Commissioners officially approved the measure, having navigated the procedural red tape to pave the way.

A new policy had to be adopted to establish guidelines for naming buildings and other property, including public areas, owned by the county. That was done by commissioners last month. In short order, the Bar Association submitted its formal request to the board’s unanimous nod last week.

The Sampson County Courthouse Extension Building will soon become the “W. Douglas Parsons Judicial Building” and a portrait of the late judge will take its rightful place in the facility.

There are many who will swell with pride at the news — as they should. It is so well deserved.

A Clinton native, Parsons served as Senior Resident Superior Court judge for Judicial District 4A, encompassing Jones, Duplin and Sampson counties, for five years. He was appointed by Gov. Beverly Perdue in March 2012 to replace retiring Superior Court Judge Russell Lanier Jr. He was selected to the seat later that year.

Parsons’ was the first judgeship held by a Sampson attorney in 41 years and he wore the robe well.

His sudden passing in September 2017, just two weeks shy of his 67th birthday and five years into his eight-year term, was a shock to this community. If left not merely a void, but an abyss.

Parsons considered it an honor and a privilege to be a judge in his hometown, something to which he always aspired.

“I can promise I will do everything in my power to make the county proud,” Parsons told The Independent upon his appointment in 2012. “It is my intention to be courteous to everyone, incredibly prepared, incredibly fair and to always do the right thing. It’s exciting, without question, to undertake the final part of your career being able to live out your dream.”

Parsons did exactly that.

And he did it without ever forgetting his roots, treating everybody the same and greeting them with a warm smile and endearing demeanor that belied his towering frame. He left behind a legacy of service to a justice system he dearly loved, touching so many lives in so many ways, both professionally and personally.

Professionally, he served as an assistant district attorney, a trial lawyer, a U.S. attorney, a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers and finally a Superior Court judge, amassing a pile of accolades along the way. Personally, he was a trustee at Sampson Community College, a commissioner on the N.C. Wildlife Commission and a lifelong member of First United Methodist Church in Clinton, where he served in a variety of capacities.

Perhaps most importantly, Parsons simply loved Sampson County, worked hard to represent it well and give back to his home in as many ways as he could. Parsons’ name being associated with a place where justice is served honors his legacy in the most appropriate manner. We are glad that commissioners felt the same way and applaud them for their decision, and the Bar Association and its membership for their persistence.

Parsons once called himself the “luckiest person to ever have had a law license.”

Similarly, we are lucky to have known him, and now be able to see him honored in this way.