William W. Parker Jr.

William Waitte Parker Jr. was born in Morristown, TN on October 2, 1922. He was the first child of William Waitte Parker Sr. and Lyda Mavric Smith. He was educated in Newport News, VA and upon graduation attended Cornell University in Ithaca New York where he majored in mechanical engineering. Immediately upon college graduation he was anxious to join the war effort and was offered a commission with the US Navy but it was not immediate so he joined the Merchant Marines thinking he would be gone for a short three months but the ship was rerouted to the South Pacific and he was unable to return home and accept his commission. He stayed in the South Pacific frequently changing ships for the rest of the war. Following the war he joined the family business Fresh Fruit Ice Cream in Newport News, VA.

In the early 1950’s he moved his family to Dayton, Ohio where he joined General Motors new Frigidaire appliance division as an engineer in product planning. He worked for Frigidaire retiring after more than 30 years.

William was the father of three children from his first marriage to Gloria Burgher of Dayton Ohio. They are Mrs. Anne Parker Smyth Hacking of Mint Hill, NC, William Waitte Parker III of Gresham, Oregon and John Burgher Parker of Orlando, Florida. His grandchildren are Mrs. Alice Smyth Rhodes of Monroe, NC, Mr. Timothy Parker, Miss Allison Parker, both of Vancouver, Washington and Miss Sarah Parker and Miss Grace Parker, both of Orlando, Florida. He was blessed with 2 great grandsons Ian Thomas Rhodes and Parker Scott Rhodes of Monroe, NC.

William married second Suzanne Kennedy Poff who predeceased him in 1996. He had from this marriage 2 step daughters Mrs. Carolyn Pummill of Centerville, Ohio and Mrs. Suzanne Wike of South Riding, VA. He also had 4 granddaughters: Mrs. Jamie Hathaway Adkins, Mrs. Michele Hathaway Collins, Mrs. Carrie Pummill Ingham and Miss Emily Pummill. He also had one grandson Christopher Pummill.

In addition, William is survived by his only niece, Mrs. Patricia Parker Phelps de Cisneros and her husband Gustavo Cisneros, of Caracas, Venezuela and their children Adrianna Cisneros de Griffin, of New York, NY, Carolina Cisneros de Rodriguez and Guillermo A. Cisneros, both of Miami, FL.

He was also preceded in death by a sister, Miriam Parker Phelps, her husband William Phelps, both of Caracas, Venezuela; his brother, Robert Neal Parker and his only nephew, Robert Neal Parker, Jr., both of Newport News, VA.

A graveside service will be held at 3:00 pm on Saturday, February 19th, 2011, at Raleigh Memorial Park, 7501 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh NC. Condolences can be sent to the family at www.MitchellatRMP.com