Jack Parker (1951)

PARKER, MENDENHALL, WALKER, NAGEL

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 12/30/2006 at 15:42:21

Earlham Echo - May 3, 1951
Earlham, Iowa

JACK PARKER KILLED IN TEXAS

Jack Parker, former Earlham resident, was shot to death in Texas last Monday in an argument over a taxi fare. Parker was in Cameron, Texas attending a GI auto mechanics school.

R. G. Vaughan of Cameron was charged with murder and released on $7000 bond. Sheriff Carl Black who arrested Vaughan, said that Parker had asked Vaughan, a tavern operator, to call him a cab. Black said the cab was more than an hour arriving and when it did Parker said he didn't want it. Black said the shooting came when Parker refused to pay for the taxi call. Parker was struck in the head with two shots from a .32 calibre pistol. He died six hours later in a hospital.

Funeral services in charge of the Earlham American Legion were held at the Church of Christ Thursday afternoon. Burial was in the Earlham cemetery.

Earlham Echo - May 10, 1951
Earlham, Iowa

OBITUARY

Jack Parker was born on June 20, 1912, five miles south of Earlham, on what was then known as the Crawford Place, and passed from this life at 6 a.m. Sunday, April 20th, 1951, in Cameron, Texas. He entered the United States Army on May 5, 1942, and was discharged August 12, 1945, having served his country well. Among other honors, he received the Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, Bronze Battle Star, and the French Croix de Guerre medal. He is survived by his little daughter, Patsy, his mother, Beryl Mendenhall of Ames; his step-father, Ira Mendenhall of Earlham; as well as his brothers and sisters, Harry Parker of Kelly, Iowa; Howard of California; Kenneth Mendenhall of Dexter; James Mendenhall of Ames; Mrs. John Walker of Grimes; Roland Mendenhall of Williams, Iowa; Walter Mendenhall of Des Moines; and Mrs. Paul Nagel of Ames.

Arrangements were under the direction of the Welch Funeral home. The funeral service was conducted by Richard Hazeltine in the Earlham Church of Christ. The Earlham Post of the American Legion conducted a military service at the Earlham cemetery, led by the post chaplain, Elbert Beals. Betty Wilkie played Taps at the cemetery service.