WILLIAM TRUSTON "BILL" PARKER
July 15, 1940-June 20, 2015
William Truston "Bill" Parker, 74, was made whole and went home to be with his father June 20, 2015, at Wayne Memorial Hospital in Goldsboro, N.C.
Dad was born July 15, 1940, in Union, N.C., to the late Bernice Dunn Parker and Dewey Clayton Parker Sr.
He is reunited with them, as well as two brothers, Murray Mcree Parker Sr. and Dewey Clayton Parker Jr.
His sister, Barbara Parker Byrum, remains here to cherish his memory, and just celebrated her 90th birthday.
Dad graduated from Ahoskie High School in 1958 and East Carolina University in 1962. He continued to bleed purple and gold and cheer on his beloved Pirates whenever he could. AARRGGHH!! It was at East Carolina where he met the love of his life and wife of 52 years, Betty King Parker.
Dad served the students of Onslow and Wayne County for 30 years as an industrial arts and driver's education teacher. He had an amazing God-given talent and passion for working with wood, and shared that talent and passion with MANY students through the years. The lives he touched are far too many to chronicle here. All those who were privileged to be taught by him, including me, had their lives changed for the better.
Dad was a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, and was a member of St. Luke United Methodist Church in Goldsboro for more than 45 years. The impact he had on this church, my church, is immeasurable. He truly loved St. Luke and St. Luke truly loved him. His many friends in the Friendship class, different choirs, Methodist men and anywhere else he had a chance to serve will always remember with great love the amazing servant Dad was.
Dad was a member of several organizations, the Masons, and the Shriners, but the Lions Club was especially dear to him, and he took great pride in helping the vision-impaired across North Carolina, the United States and the world.
Whether it was transporting campers to Camp Dogwood, selling brooms or lovingly serving pancakes at the Boys Club every year, Dad enthusiastically served the Lions and its endeavors through the years and made lifelong friends while doing it.
For his service Dad was awarded two prestigious awards from Lions International, the Jack Stickley Fellow in 1997 and the Melvin Jones Fellow in 2010. His legacy of serving the Lions will live on forever.
And finally, family ... and this part may be a little tough to write. My dad was the absolute best dad a son or daughter could ever want. I can never remember a time when Suzy or I asked Dad to go outside and play, and he didn't jump at the chance.
He even started softball at Greenwood Middle so Suzy and the other girls there would have a team. Suzy Parker Crawley, husband Malcolm, and daughter, Rosemary, will continue to be thankful every day for the time that they had with Dad/Granddaddy. And so will I, Clay Parker, and my children, Evan and Daisy.
He also has numerous nieces and nephews, cousins and dear friends, who will continue to hold his memory in a special place in their heart.
I do want to mention a group of friends that held an extra special place in Dad's heart, and will continue to hold that same place in Mom's -- The Supper Club: Bill and Anna White, Ken and Myrna Jones, Wayne and Pat Marshbanks, Tom and Patsy Nobles and Frank and Nell Williams. God bless you all.
And finally, a huge thank you in advance for all the love and prayers that are sure to come in the coming days. I'm quite certain Dad and Jesus are doing some beautiful woodworking right about now. God's peace to you all.
A service celebrating the life of this truly amazing man will be held Wednesday, June 24, 2015, at 2 p.m. at St Luke United Methodist Church in Goldsboro, N.C., with the Rev. Adam F. Seate officiating.
In lieu of flowers, we are asking donations be made to St. Luke United Methodist Church general fund, 1608 E. Pine St., Goldsboro, N.C., 27530, or Kitty Askins Hospice Center/3HC, 107 Handley Park Court, Goldsboro, N.C., 27534.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.seymourfuneralhome.com.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on June 22, 2015 1:48 PM