Wallace “Wally” Gordon Parker 1922 - 2020

PARKER, BRENDEN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/26/2020 at 19:36:30

Sioux City Journal
7 October 2020

Wallace G. Parker

Sloan, Iowa

Wallace “Wally” Gordon Parker, 98, of Sloan, passed away Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, at Pleasant View Care Center in Whiting, Iowa.

Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Skien Lutheran Church in Albaton, Iowa, with the Rev. Craig Bock officiating. (Social distancing measures must be followed due to COVID-19 restrictions; masks are encouraged.) Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery, Albaton, with Masonic rites.

Visitation will be 10 a.m. until service time Saturday at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Rush Family Care Service in Onawa, Iowa. Condolences may be left online for the family at www.rushfamilycareservice.com.

Wally Parker was born on June 26, 1922, the son of Horace B. and Alice (Brenden) Parker. He grew up in rural Sloan and graduated from Sloan High School in 1940. Wally and Nadine Yuvonne “Bonnie” Parker were united into marriage on Jan. 30, 1954, at Skien Lutheran Church. To this union two children were born.

Wally’s passion in life was farming. When not driving around the country looking at the crops or talking to neighbors, he enjoyed golfing, bowling, fishing, hunting, and watching sports, especially Rebel softball. However, everyone knew Wally’s greatest talent was visiting and telling stories to anyone that would listen, particularly about local and family history. He was a true Norwegian and loved his black cup of coffee, oatmeal raisin cookies, lefse, and sandbakkels. He also enjoyed plain cake donuts, cake without frosting, and vanilla ice cream. He could take a nap anytime, anywhere and was rarely seen without his favorite accessory, a toothpick. He and Bonnie loved to travel, taking cruises and trips to Hawaii, Mexico, Florida, Canada, Alaska, Colorado and various other destinations.

Bonnie and Wally loved dancing. The pair met at a dance and continued to spend many happy years dancing and socializing with their many friends.

Wally was deeply involved in his local community as a founding member of the Sloan Golf Course and a board member of the Farmer’s Cereal Cooperative. He was honored for 18 years of dedicated service to the McCandless Inter-County Drainage District, in January 2012.

Wally was a 72-year active member of Attica Lodge 502 A.F. & A.M. Masonic Lodge in Sloan. He attended as many meetings as he was able and enjoyed being the cashier at fundraisers. Wally was a member of the Sioux City Scottish Rite and the Abu Bekr Shrine. He was a member of the Abu Bekr Cycle Corps and enjoyed visiting with circus goers while selling cotton candy at the Shrine Circus.

In his early days, Wally was baptized and confirmed at Swedish Covenant Church in rural Sloan. Later he became a dedicated member of Skien Lutheran Church, where he served on the audit and budget committee many times and on the church council. He served on the funeral committee for many years. Wally’s family has a long history with Skien Lutheran Church. His mother, Alice, was baptized at Skien in 1892 and his father, Horace, was confirmed in 1950. In 2018, he was honored as a Pioneer of Faith at their 150th anniversary celebration as being the oldest attending member.

Survivors include two sons, William W. Parker of Richmond, Texas, and James B. (Mary) Parker of Sloan; grandchildren, Megan (Travis) Chizek of Ida Grove, Iowa, Joanna (Alex) Konczal of Alfred, Maine, Mitchell (Megan Larkin) of Sloan, and William W. Parker Jr. of Richmond; great-grandchildren, Cal and Jack Chizek of Ida Grove, and Rose and James Konczal of Alfred; one sister, Elizabeth Bay of Sun City, Ariz.; and many nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Nadine Yu- vonne “Bonnie” Parker; parents, Horace and Alice (Brenden) Parker; brother, Sgt. Milton H. Parker; and three sisters, Imogene (Carl) Anderson, Margaret (William) Hoelzle, and Dorothy Hubert.