Obituary: Parker, Myrtle Laverne
She moved to Spokane to live with her grandmother while still in high school.
She graduated from North Central High School in Spokane in 1948 and after high school she attended Beauty School.
She said that she used to travel to Colville from Spokane once a week to cut hair.
Myrtle met her soon to be husband, Jack, on a fishing trip with friends at Deer Lake.
Jack and Myrtle were married on July 17, 1950.
Jack was in the Air Force and they enjoyed service life and traveled to faraway places like England and Puerto Rico.
While being stationed again in Spokane at Fairchild Air Force Base in 1952, Jack and Myrtle heard and answered the call of God on their life when representatives from a local church knocked on their door and shared Christ with them.
Jack and Myrtle were baptized together in 1956 at Dishman Baptist Church in Spokane.
Six children were born to Jack and Myrtle and this is where our precious family story begins.
We will hold closely the memories of our dear Daddy who just recently passed away.
Daddy gave our family structure, stability, and strength.
Mom was creative and artistic.
She memorized poetry, was a great Scrabble player, a beautiful seamstress, loved to decorate, and took us kids to museums, plays, zoos, and parks.
Myrtle was the Women’s Missionary Leader at church, taught a mission group for young girls, Children’s Sunday school, and Vacation Bible School for 40+ years.
Mom told Bible stories in such a vibrant way that even the most unwilling sixth grade boy would stop and listen.
Our station wagon was often packed with neighborhood kids heading off to Vacation Bible School or some other church event.
Mom carried Bible Tracts in her purse and would hand them out to the young people who would bag her groceries along with a big tip.
She was an avid reader and digested stories of missionaries.
She loved reading the Bible and books about China, Africa and India and learning about the peoples of these places.
Mom never made it to the foreign mission field, but we lived on the home mission field every day of our lives.
As children, we never knew who would be sitting at our table for a meal because mom would often pick up a poor or needy soul on her way back from the grocery store.
Mom visited nursing homes, shut-ins, and halfway houses.
As children, we were very aware of Hebrews 13:2, “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
Mom certainly entertained angels.
Mom and dad were prayers.
They prayed for each of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren by name every day and were diligent in their prayers for extended family and others in need.
We are certain that God has answered many of their prayers and will continue to answer them.
Myrtle is survived by all six of her children, Guy Parker of Addy, WA, Cherie Copeland of Spokane, WA, Gary Parker (Cari) of Williamstown, New Jersey, Lisa White (Derral) of Addy, WA, Polly Stickney (Larry) of Colville, WA, and Gloria Sarber (Nathan) of Addy, WA; 22 grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren.
Myrtle died peacefully on Monday, November 24, just three weeks following Jack’s death.
While in the hospital she said that she was ready to be with her husband and assured her family of the “joy of her salvation”.
II Cor 5:8 “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
We will greatly miss the love of our parents but take great comfort that they are together again!
We look forward to being with them one day in Heaven.
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
A graveside service for Mrs. Parker will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at Mountain View Park Cemetery in Colville, WA with continued fellowship to follow at the Stevens County Sheriff’s Training Center, 425 Highway 395 North, Colville.
If one so wishes, memorial contributions can be made in Myrtle’s name to Holy Trinity Church in Colville, WA.
Please visit the online memorial and sign the guestbook at www.danekasfuneralchapel.com.
DANEKAS FUNERAL CHAPEL & CREMATORY, 155 WEST FIRST AVENUE, COLVILLE, WA 99114 has been entrusted with the arrangements.