Gene Parker

     M.E. (Gene) Parker, age 86, passed to his heavenly home Wednesday, August 21, 2013. Services will be held Friday, August 23rd, 2:00 PM at the First Baptist Church in Saint Jo, with Rev. Tim Williams and Rev. Jeff Roe officiating. Burial will follow at Illinois Bend Cemetery under the direction of McCoy Funeral Home. Mr. Parker died August 21, 2013.

     Gene was born October 13, 1926 at Illinois Bend to Homer C. and Eula E. Farquhar Parker. He was the youngest of three children. He was preceeded in death by his parents, brother Adrian and sister Opal Wineinger.

     Gene grew up at Illinois Bend. He served in the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. President Jackson during WWII. After the war he came home and married the love of his life, Pauline Davenport, on October 5, 1946. This special union lasted sixty-six years and they were blessed with four children.

     Gene worked hard all his life. He was a farmer, rancher, butcher, oil field worker, and county hand for Montague County for several years before he served as County Commissioner for twelve years. After retiring from the county Gene was a real estate agent and then he and Pauline carried a rural mail route to Forestburg and tended several head of cattle until their health forced them to retire. Gene loved to work the earth and tend his garden. He was a Sunday School teacher and deacon at First Baptist Church for many years. He was a member of Saint Jo Chamber of Commerce and Lions Club.

     Gene is survived by his loving wife, Pauline, who was always by his side and his biggest supporter, a son Ronny and wife Wanda of Illinois Bend, daughter Lana and husband Bob of Olney, daughter Dana and husband Jerry Raymond of Saint Jo, and son Cris of Picayune, Mississippi. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Scott and Shelly Parker, Clint and Paul McQuerry, and Joe, Jack and Josh Raymond and sixteen great-grandchildren and six nieces and nephews.