Obituaries

Donald Leon Parker

Donald Leon Parker, 79, of Jonesboro passed from this life Saturday, December 31, 2016 at St. Vincent Infirmary in Little Rock due to injuries sustained from a car accident on November 18, 2016. He was born October 2, 1937 in Whitehall (Poinsett County) to the late Clara Mildred King and Ezra Columbus Parker, Sr. Donald was a graduate of Harrisburg High School and Arkansas State University. He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Jonesboro. Mr. Parker married Nancy Grayson Lamb on August 28, 1960. They lived in Harrisburg before moving to Jonesboro in 2006. Donald taught high school math and chemistry for three years until he started farming in 1965. He retired from farming in 1999 and started working with his wife in her ladies' apparel store, Seasons of Jonesboro. Shortly thereafter, they opened a men's apparel store, Grayson's for Men. Both retired from the retail clothing business in 2008. At age 71, he started another career in construction management. Mr. Parker built apartments with his son, serving as a general contractor, and together they developed Deerfield Crossing at Sage Meadows. Donald was very active in his community and profession. He was elected to the Harrisburg City Council, the Harrisburg School Board, the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation Board, and the Poinsett County Farm Bureau Board. Mr. Parker was appointed to the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board by Governor Bill Clinton. Donald also served on the Harrisburg City Water and Light Board and the Arkansas Rice Council. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. In his spare time, Donald loved to watch his granddaughters play tennis and volleyball. He also loved spending time with grandsons. Mr. Parker was an avid Razorback fan and for many years he never missed an in state football game. When Donald was unable to attend, he always followed them on television. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, William Lewis Parker. Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Nancy Lamb Parker of the home; a son and daughter in law, Donald L. Parker II and Lynn McKnight Parker of Jonesboro; a daughter, Celeste Parker Vereen of Little Rock; five grandchildren, Clara Elizabeth Parker, Anna Sims Parker, Sydney Grayson Parker, Jackson Parker Vereen, and Augustus Williams Vereen; sister, Gaye Parker Buckholdt of Chico, Calif.; two brothers, Joe Parker and wife Jimmie of Fort Smith, Ark., and Ezra Parker, Jr. and wife Suzanne of Whitehall, Ark. Donald is also survived by many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews in addition to a multitude of friends. Memorial service will be Wednesday, January 4, 2017 at 11 a.m. in the Sanctuary at First United Methodist Church in Jonesboro with Rev. John Miles and Rev. Patty Soward officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday, January 3, 2017 from 5-7 p.m. at Emerson Funeral Home. For lasting memorials the family asks that consideration be given to Arkansas Children's Hospital, PO Box 2222, Little Rock, Ark. 72203-9984, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn. 38105, or a charity of your choice. Online Registry: www.emersonfuneralhome.com.

Published January 3, 2017

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