Nell Parker
January 7, 1944 — February 18, 2015
Nell Parker
Nell Parker
January 7, 1944 – February 18, 2015
Nell Parker, 71, passed away of natural causes on February 18, 2015, at her home in Mart. A celebration of her life will be held from 2:00-4:00 P.M. on Tuesday, February 24, at the Fellowship Hall of First United Methodist Church, 701 East Texas Ave., Mart, TX. Readings in her honor will be given by friends and family.
Nell was born (as Linda Nell) on January 7, 1944, in Harrisburg, PA, to Perry Milton Parker and Amelia Parker (née Lewis). Her father was a former Grand Master of the Texas Masonic Lodge. Nell graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Port Arthur in 1962. In 1963, she married Harold James (Jim) Richard and gave birth to her son, James Brady (Brad) Richard. (Her second husband was Richard Harshman, and her third, Donald Ward.) She received her B.A. from Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL, in 1972. Her study of sociology led to work in various agencies in Alabama and Texas, most significantly to her 20 years of service as a probation officer in McLennan County, from which she retired in 2007.
An avid reader of history, mysteries, and true crime, and an animal lover who rescued many a feral cat and gave them homes, Nell was also a close observer of the political scene and a staunch, though not uncritical, supporter of the Democratic party. A Texan to the bone, she loved the landscape, lore, and people of central Texas, and was proud to claim relation to the Comanche chief Quanah Parker (and, just possibly, Bonnie Parker). All who knew her remember her kindness, generosity, optimism (especially as a two-time breast cancer survivor), and keen wit. A loving mother and sister and a devoted friend, her sudden passing leaves her sorely missed.
“I have pitched my tent in the Land of Hope.” This line from Acts 2, found in a handwritten note in her effects, stands as a motto for her life.
Nell is survived by her brother, Brady Lewis Parker, of Waco; her son, Brad Richard of New Orleans, LA; Brad’s partner, Tim Watson; and a niece, Perry Parker, of South Carolina.
The family are grateful to the staff of Scott & White Clinic for the care she received during her cancer treatment, and for the kindness of Nell’s former probation colleagues and friends, especially Fran Hendrick.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Best Friends Animal Society, www.bestfriends.org.
January 7, 1944 – February 18, 2015
Nell Parker, 71, passed away of natural causes on February 18, 2015, at her home in Mart. A celebration of her life will be held from 2:00-4:00 P.M. on Tuesday, February 24, at the Fellowship Hall of First United Methodist Church, 701 East Texas Ave., Mart, TX. Readings in her honor will be given by friends and family.
Nell was born (as Linda Nell) on January 7, 1944, in Harrisburg, PA, to Perry Milton Parker and Amelia Parker (née Lewis). Her father was a former Grand Master of the Texas Masonic Lodge. Nell graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Port Arthur in 1962. In 1963, she married Harold James (Jim) Richard and gave birth to her son, James Brady (Brad) Richard. (Her second husband was Richard Harshman, and her third, Donald Ward.) She received her B.A. from Spring Hill College in Mobile, AL, in 1972. Her study of sociology led to work in various agencies in Alabama and Texas, most significantly to her 20 years of service as a probation officer in McLennan County, from which she retired in 2007.
An avid reader of history, mysteries, and true crime, and an animal lover who rescued many a feral cat and gave them homes, Nell was also a close observer of the political scene and a staunch, though not uncritical, supporter of the Democratic party. A Texan to the bone, she loved the landscape, lore, and people of central Texas, and was proud to claim relation to the Comanche chief Quanah Parker (and, just possibly, Bonnie Parker). All who knew her remember her kindness, generosity, optimism (especially as a two-time breast cancer survivor), and keen wit. A loving mother and sister and a devoted friend, her sudden passing leaves her sorely missed.
“I have pitched my tent in the Land of Hope.” This line from Acts 2, found in a handwritten note in her effects, stands as a motto for her life.
Nell is survived by her brother, Brady Lewis Parker, of Waco; her son, Brad Richard of New Orleans, LA; Brad’s partner, Tim Watson; and a niece, Perry Parker, of South Carolina.
The family are grateful to the staff of Scott & White Clinic for the care she received during her cancer treatment, and for the kindness of Nell’s former probation colleagues and friends, especially Fran Hendrick.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Best Friends Animal Society, www.bestfriends.org.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Nell Parker, please visit our flower store.
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