Patricia Catherine Parker

Patricia C. Parker of Basehor, KS, was born August 8, 1951 as the oldest of three children to Francis (Irish) and Marie Blanchard and passed away January 30, 2021 at the age of 69, after sustaining serious injuries in a car accident.

A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at Westside Family Church-Speedway, located at 3001 N. 115th St, Kansas City, KS 66109, on Saturday, February 6, 2021. The visitation will begin at 9:00am, with service following at 10:00am. For those attending the service, we encourage you to honor Pat by wearing your favorite KC Chiefs, KU Jayhawks, or KC Royals gear.

Patricia (Pat) was a native of Kansas City, KS where she lived the majority of her life, until moving to Basehor in 2017. She was a graduate of Washington High School, class of 1969. Throughout her years in school, she was active in Girl Scouts, church activities at Stony Point Christian Church, WHS Pep Club, and many others as well. Upon completing high school, she attended the Kansas City Area Vocational and Technical School, and in 1973 became a Licensed Practical Nurse. She began her 37 years-long nursing career at Bethany Medical Center. She also worked for a doctor’s office for a period of time before landing at the Wyandotte County Health Department, where she worked in the Family Planning and Prenatal Clinic for 30 years, until she retired in 2010.

Pat married Dearl S. Parker, Jr. October 22, 1976. They enjoyed 44 wonderful years of marriage together. They met at the beginning of 1976 on a blind date at a Super Bowl party where mutual friends worked to set them up, and by Valentine’s Day just a few weeks later, they were engaged. Together, their union birthed two amazing daughters, Anna, and Amy. She and Dearl raised their family in the Turner area, where they lived for almost 30 years before moving to the Piper area, then to their current home in Pebblebrooke Retirement Community in Basehor.

Faith was at the core of who Pat was and she faithfully attended church from the age of 8 years old. She was a longtime member of Stony Point Christian Church in Kansas City, KS, and later went on to attend Grace Christian Fellowship of Wyandotte County, as well as Victory Assembly in Bonner Springs, KS. For the past 15 years, she has been a devoted member of the Speedway Campus of Westside Family Church in Kansas City, KS. Her caring heart as a nurse spilled over into everything else she did. She had a true servant’s heart. Throughout her lifetime and the various churches she was a part of, she volunteered in various capacities. She spent decades teaching young children in Sunday School, where she impacted hundreds of kids and their families over the years. She also served with annual special events such as vacation Bible School. Many Sunday mornings, she could also be seen sporting the biggest smile as she welcomed all that walked through the doors as a greeter. For many years, she enjoyed singing in the choir, and always loved special Christmas and Easter performances. She served in many other capacities and ministries throughout her life as she was always willing to help out wherever she could.

Not only was Pat active in her church throughout her lifetime, but also her community. She was a longtime member of the neighborhood group where they lived in Turner. She was also an active supporter and cheered on her girls in all the activities they participated in throughout their years in school. For a period of time she was appointed to and served as a commissioner with the Unified Government of Wyandotte County on the Human Relations Commission where she worked alongside others to fight for justice throughout the community for those that were marginalized or experiencing discrimination.

Pat was a lover of sports and could be seen in attendance at many KC Royals and KC T-Bones baseball games, and many KU football games as well. When she didn’t have an opportunity to attend a game in person, she could be heard throughout the neighborhood cheering her teams on as she watched games on tv. She’d always get a little rowdy watching Jayhawk basketball, and the Chiefs in the post-season the past couple of years. She loved the KU Jayhawks, KC Chiefs, KC Royals, and the KC T-Bones. Although she was a lover of the games, I think what she loved more was the opportunities the games provided for family time and making memories together.

In addition to a love of sports, Pat had an amazing spirit of adventure and loved traveling. In the earlier days as a family, she enjoyed camping. As she got older, she learned to appreciate hotels a lot more. While she had so many more destinations on her list than she was actually able to visit, she cherished each memory of the places she was able to see. She also enjoyed reading, crafts, tai chi, and many other activities she participated in with her friends at Pebblebrooke.

Pat loved the various titles she held throughout the course of her life. She was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, an aunt, a mother-in-law, a daughter-in-law, a sister-in-law, a cousin, a beloved friend to many, and three years ago, she gained the title that she had long hoped for when she became a grandmother. While she and Dearl shared many nieces and nephews from his side of the family, it wasn’t until 2005 that her brother Bob started his family and she had 3 new niece additions. She adored them all and loved the fun adventures they were able to enjoy together with them including trips to the zoo, parades, and countless other activities. Becoming a nana brought a whole new level of joy to her heart as Parker quickly stole her heart from the very beginning.

Pat was preceded in death by her parents, Irish and Marie Blanchard, as well as her brother John Blanchard. She is survived by her husband, Dearl, of the home, along with daughters, Anna Parker (Damon Bland), and Amy Parsons (Phil) and grandson Parker. She is also survived by her youngest brother Bob Blanchard (Jennifer) and nieces, Brooke, Katelyn and Sierra Blanchard, as well as a host of other nieces and nephews, and friends and family.

The family asks that if you wish to make any donations, they can be made to Westside Family Church 8500 Woodsonia Drive, Lenexa, KS 66227, or online at www.westsidefamily.church.