Virginia Mae Koenig Parker

Virginia Mae Koenig Parker, 80, was welcomed into the loving arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Tuesday evening, November 23. She was born, January 2, 1941, in the Stuttgart area to Johnny and Minnie Ellen Koenig. Virginia attended Saint John's Lutheran School, graduated from Stuttgart High School class of '59, then married and moved to the Bayou Meto Community where she spent most of her adult life. Virginia was a member of the First Baptist Church of DeWitt. She was proceeded in death by her parents, her husband of almost 50 years, Donald Ray Parker, her brother, sister-in-law and nephew John Fred, Liz, and Randy Koenig. Survivors include son, Thomas Ray Parker of Tichnor; daughter, Sarah Ellen "Cookie" Parker, her like-a-son favorite, Scott (Nan) Miller of Bayou Meto; brother, Roger Dale (Sharon) Koenig of Mountain View; nephews Robin (Kimble) Koenig, Ricky Koenig, and Roger Koenig of Stuttgart; Scott Koenig of Little Rock; niece Melanie (Bill) Ward of Cypress, TX, a host of great nieces and nephews, and two special great great nieces, Avery Claire and Leigh Ivy Williams. Virginia's love for her family was evident within minutes of meeting her. She was a devoted daughter, sister, wife, mother, and friend while enjoying every minute of her role in each of their lives. If you were blessed to know her, it was evident her love language was preparing and sharing her good food, which ranged from cakes, pies, Friday brownies and cookies, to fried chicken or hamburgers, to any number of casseroles, all the way to her signature sweet tea. She wore many different occupational hats during her lifetime, just to name a few; grain cart and truck driver, room mother, co-reporter of the Bayou Meto news, implement company accounting clerk, crop insurance salesman, property and casualty insurance business owner, restauranteur, and duck club cook. Her restaurant and duck club cooking lead her to author and publish her very own cookbook in 2013, which due to popular demand was recently reprinted. Virginia's love of Arkansas County and the Bayou Meto community took many forms over the years but was most recently reflected in her service with the Bayou Meto Women of Faith charitable organization as well as her support of the local food pantries in both DeWitt and Stuttgart. Visitation will be held at Essex Funeral Home, 1405 S. Grandview in DeWitt, on Friday, November 26, from 5-6:30 p.m. Funeral Services will be at Essex Funeral Home Chapel, on Saturday, November 27 at 10 a.m. Burial to follow immediately at the Bayou Meto Cemetery. Memorials can be made to: Caring and Sharing Food Pantry, P.O. Box 8, DeWitt, Ark., 72042; ICCM Food Pantry, c/o Joyce Roth, 3834 S. Buerkle, Stuttgart, Ark., 72160 or the Bayou Meto Women of Faith, c/o Rhonda Hampton, 709 Highway 276, Stuttgart, Ark., 72160. www.essexfuneralhome.com.