Ray Weldon Parker (1847-1931)

PARKER, SORENSON, LUND

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 6/30/2024 at 18:28:03

From Story City Herald January 22, 1931 (page 9)

STANHOPE FARMER HANGS SELF SUNDAY

Ray W. Parker, 84, Commits Suicide on Stanhope Farm

Ray W. Parker, widely known farmer living a half mile south of Stanhope, committed suicide Sunday morning by hanging himself in the hog house. The body was found shortly after 8 o'clock by his son, William.

County coroner E. W. Slater of Jewell was called. It was so clearly a case of suicide, however, that no inquest was held.

Mr. Parker had not been in very good health for some time, due largely to his advancing years and this, members of the family believe, was the cause of his act.

The Parker family is widely known in Stanhope community, having lived in that vicinity for more than 60 years.

Sunday morning Mr. Parker left the houses about 8 o'clock, presumably for the barn and a short time later his son, William, went out to do the chores. Entering the hog house he found his father hanging from a rafter just inside the door. Hastily cutting him down, he summoned a neighbor, Roy Davis, a physician and Coroner Slater. Mr. Parker, however, was dead when taken down.

He is survived by his wife, four sons and two daughters, William of Stanhope, Frank of Lake City, Ned of Elma and Fred, whose whereabouts is unknown; Mrs. Albert Sorenson of Lamberton, Minn., and Mrs. Taylor Lund of Laurens.

The Parker family has been prominent in the Stanhope community for many years and, while it was generally known that Mr. Parker's health was none too good, his suicide came as an unlooked for shock, both to the family and to all the community.