General Content
Dr. Christopher Parnall Jr. was the second of three sons of Christopher G. Parnall Sr. Dr. Parnall jr. became Administrator and Director of Rochester general hospital in 1954. He held the position for nineteen years. Dr. Parnall jr. was born in Jackson, Michigan September 21, 1907 and received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1933. During WWII he served with the 19th General Hospital, rising from First Lieutenant to Lt. Colonel. Following the end of hostilities he served at several Veterans Administration Hospitals until 1947.
Returning to Rochester, Dr. Parnall Jr. entered private practice until 1950. From April 1950 to November 1953 he was Director of medical Education and Assistant Director of Laboratories.
During his tenure as Administrator of Rochester General he saw the Hospital open the Northside Division and ten years later, 1966, close the old hospital and move to the Portland Avenue site. He was instrumental in the opening of the Rochester Mental Health Center. He backed involvement in the Wayne County Health program and planned the Northeast Area's health Center.
Dr. Parnall Jr. was responsible for developing the affiliation between General Hospital and the University of Rochester School of Medicine. During his brief retirement from 1972 to 1974 he worked as Director of Planning and Development of emergency medical services. One of his projects was developing communications between hospitals and ambulances. Dr. Christopher Parnall Jr. died during a fishing trip to West Virginia May 4, 1974.