Ardis Parshall Death, Pioneering Independent Historian of Mormonism, Dies at 67
The community of Latter-day Saint history has lost one of its most dedicated and influential independent voices with the passing of Ardis E. Parshall. An intrepid researcher and gifted storyteller, Parshall carved a unique and essential niche, bringing forgotten narratives to light with rigor and compassion.
Operating largely outside traditional academic institutions, Parshall’s work was defined by deep archival digging and an unwavering commitment to the human stories within the broader historical sweep. For years, her blog, *Keepapitchinin*, served as a vital public square and digital archive. There, she shared meticulously researched tales of everyday Latter-day Saints—women and men, leaders and ordinary pioneers—whose experiences might otherwise have remained obscure. The blog’s title, reminiscent of a communal fireside, reflected her mission: to gather people around the stories of their shared past.
Her expertise was recognized by mainstream media, leading to a tenure as a historical writer for the *Salt Lake Tribune* from 2005 to 2011. She also contributed to formal scholarship, co-editing the volume *Mormonism: A Historical Encyclopedia* with Paul Reeve, ensuring her grassroots research reached academic audiences.
Parshall’s true legacy, however, lies in her role as a bridge-builder. She connected professional historians with family researchers, offered guidance to countless individuals, and fostered a more nuanced and complete understanding of the Latter-day Saint experience. She approached history not as a distant chronicler but as a compassionate excavator of lives, treating every diary entry, newspaper clipping, and photograph with profound respect.
Her passing leaves a silence where there was once a vibrant, welcoming, and authoritative voice. Ardis Parshall demonstrated that history is not just found in grand treatises, but in the accumulated fragments of everyday life, patiently pieced together. For that gift of recovery and connection, she will be deeply and fondly remembered.
