The late Nate Parsons’s family helps dedicate a bus shelter on Main Street to his memory. From left are nephew Day Chionsini, sister Heather Foglia, daughter Edith Parsons, daughter Louisa Parsons, wife Corinne Palmeri-Parsons and sister Sara Beth Chionsini. (News photo — Delainey Muscato)

LAKE PLACID — Over two dozen people gathered at the bus shelter on Main Street across from the American Legion on Thursday, July 18, though no one boarded the bus when it came by.

Instead, friends, family and Rotary Club of Lake Placid members gathered to remember a father, husband, community member and friend — Nate Parsons, of Vermontville — by dedicating the structure he built in his memory.

Parsons died at age 50 in December 2022. He was born in 1971 and raised in Port Jervis.

Two former Rotary Club presidents, Bill Flederbach and Heather Perkins, spoke of Parsons’s kindness and determination. Flederbach said he met the talented woodworker when he and his wife commissioned him to build them a piece of furniture.

“You felt like he’d been your friend forever,” Flederbach said. “Nate had such an amazing soul.”

Rotary Club of Lake Placid President Kate Thompson, seen with former Co-President Bill Flederbach, speaks at the July 18 dedication of a bus shelter on Main Street to the memory of woodworker Nate Parsons, who built the structure. (News photo — Delainey Muscato)

Flederbach then read a statement written by Parsons’s wife, Corinne Palmeri-Parsons.

“He was indeed a person to admire. He loved his life in the Adirondacks and chose this place to build his home, family and business,” she wrote.

Nate graduated from Montclair State University in 1995 with a fine arts degree. His work can be seen in homes, camps and restaurants around the area, including two other bus shelters he helped build in Lake Placid. One is located in front of K Nails & Spa on Sentinel Road, and the other is located in front of Cascade Acres on state Route 73.

Corinne also wrote that though the bus shelter might not be the most artistic or creative example of his work, it represents the kind of person he was.

“He was reliable and dependable, like a shelter for so many. It is our hope that the bus shelter does the same for all those who use it, serving as a protection for years to come,” she wrote.

Lake Placid Mayor Art Devlin said the village should have thought of the bus shelter first, but he was thankful the Rotary Club came to him with the idea.

Corinne, along with daughters Louisa, 15, and Edith, 12, posed for photos in the shelter, showing off the plaque commemorating Nate.

Current Rotary Club President Kate Thompson encouraged everyone to squeeze into the shelter to get a photo. Friends and family packed into the shelter, smiling once again under the protection of Nate.

Thompson said the club has plans to help sponsor and build more bus shelters around the area in partnership with the town of North Elba and the village of Lake Placid.

According to Thompson, it cost about $30,000 to build and install the three shelters that exist now.

“The Lake Placid NY Rotary Foundation was the conduit for accepting donations and distributing the funds to build the shelters,” she said.

They received donations from the community, the Uihlein Foundation and more.

Fundraising efforts to build those shelters were led by Perkins and Rotary club member Martha Spear. Flederbach worked with Parsons and Sam Reynolds on the design and installation process.