James Owen Parker, 1929 – 2010

PARKER, HORTON, BAILEY, FIPPS, DAVIS

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 4/19/2011 at 12:52:30

Memorial services for James O. Parker, 81, Bixby, Okla., were held Thursday, July 15, at Leonard and Marker Funeral Home, Bixby. He died peacefully at Clarehouse Saturday, July 10, 2010, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.

Burial was in Park Grove Cemetery, Broken Arrow.

James Owen Parker was born June 30, 1929, in Wagoner County, Okla., one of six children born to Jim and Grace Parker. He grew up in the Oak Grove area east of Broken Arrow, Okla., where he attended Oak Grove School. He lived a short time in the Verdigris River bottoms before moving to Tulsa, Okla., as a young man.

James held a couple different jobs before joining Gaso Pump as an oil field pump assembler in November 1953, retiring from the company just shy of 40 years of service in March 1993. He was a long-standing member of the International Association of Machinists (IAMAW) union while employed at Gaso.

He married Gladys “Marlene” Horton June 15, 1957. To this union was born four children. The couple resided in Tulsa until 1980, when they moved to their farm west of Bixby.

James loved his family and was active in their lives as a husband, father, provider and encourager. He enjoyed joking and was known for being “ornery” on occasion. Like Will Rogers, James never met a stranger.

In the early years, James and Marlene enjoyed fishing and camping at Oologah Lake and holding cookouts with family at their Tulsa home. He enjoyed gardening and raised large gardens with every crop imaginable.

He took pride in keeping his Bixby farm looking nice and enjoyed being outside. He raised cattle for many years. He also enjoyed collecting antiques, especially old saws, cultivator seats and anything that reminded him of his growing up days. He especially enjoyed attending tractor shows with his best buddy, (adopted son) Roger Bailey, and tinkering with his 1946 B “Poppin” John Deere tractor.

James was a long-time member of First Baptist Church, Tulsa, and was a strong believer in prayer and trusting God to help him and his family.

James is survived by his two sons, J.O., and wife Debbie, Montezuma, and Tom, and his wife Tonya, of Bixby; his sister, Margaret Fipps, Prattville, Okla.; and many nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.

James was preceded in death by his his wife of 52-plus years, Marlene; his parents; brothers, Orval and Charley; sister, Carolyn Davis; an infant brother; and his stillborn twin daughters, Nora Faye and Grace Mae Parker.

The Williamsburg Journal Tribune, Williamsburg, Iowa, 22 Jul 2010, pg 9