Robert Howard Parker

Funeral Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 19, 2011 at Life Tabernacle Church 4350 Seymour Highway, Wichita Falls, Texas with Pastor Gene Holley, Jr. officiating. Burial will be at Crestview Memorial Park in Wichita Falls under the direction of Dutton Funeral Home of Iowa Park, Texas.

Robert was born August 8, 1932 in Muskogee, Oklahoma to James Alexander and Mary Ann Montgomery Parker. He and Wilma Lance were married October 6, 1954 in Mena, Arkansas.

He served in the US Navy where he served on the USS Mackenzie as a BMSN. He received the Korean Service Medal with 2 stars, China Service Medal, National Defense Medal and the United Nations Service Medal. Robert was a member of Life Tabernacle Church in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Robert’s career was in commercial construction where he was a journeyman carpenter from 1955-1960 working on the Missile Site at Roswell, New Mexico; a hospital addition at Cannon AFB, Clovis, New Mexico and Potash Mines at Carlsbad, New Mexico. He worked for Keith Construction Company of Roswell, New Mexico from October, 1954 until December, 1963; B&E Construction, Inc, Albuquerque, New Mexico from December, 1963 until July 1964; DeShurley Construction Company of Roswell, New Mexico from July, 1964 until May, 1965; Western Knapp Company of Carlsbad, New Mexico from May, 1965 until July, 1965; DeShurley Construction Company of Roswell, New Mexico from July, 1965 until March 1966; RM Wells Company, Inc of Quanah, Texas from March 1966 until July 1976; Herman Bennett Company from July, 1975 until September, 1977; Jake Holmes Company on the Oklaunion Power Plant, Oklaunion, Texas and then went to work for M.A. Vordenbaum and Sons, Inc. Robert served as construction superintendent from 1960 until 1995 on the Vocational and Elementary School, Bowie, Texas; First State Bank of Archer City, Texas; Graham Jr. High School, Graham, Texas; Fine Arts Building at Midwestern State University of Wichita Falls, Texas; Fisher County Hospital of Rotan, Texas; Tech Building at Central Texas College; Providence Hospital of Waco, Texas; Sheppard Regional Hospital at SAFB, Texas; and the 1000 Man Dorm at SAFB, Texas. He also remodeled Old High of Wichita Falls, Texas; Wichita County Detention Center of Wichita Falls, Texas; First Baptist Church Family Center of Vernon, Texas; WOSCO addition and remodel of Wichita Falls, Texas; New Dimensions Apparel of Wichita Falls, Texas; remodel of First Baptist Sanctuary of Vernon, Texas; additions to the City View School, Wichita Falls, Texas; remodel of Nations Bank of Wichita Falls, Texas and constructed the new sanctuary of University United Methodist Church of Wichita Falls, Texas. Robert retired in 1996.

Robert's parents, and two sisters, Martha Alexander and Sarah Boggs preceded him in death.

He is survived by his wife, Wilma of Wichita Falls, Texas, children, Linda Howell and husband, John of Wichita Falls, Texas, Lana Zeigler and husband, Andrew of Iowa Park, Texas, Robert Howard Parker, II of Wichita Falls, Texas, Randel Parker and wife, Latricia of Wichita Falls, Texas and Rodney Parker of Wichita Falls, Texas; brothers, John C. Parker of Farmington, New Mexico, Roy Don Parker of Farmington, New Mexico, Joe L. Parker of Phoenix, Arizona and David Parker of Mena, Arkansas; 11 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family suggests memorials to Hospice of Wichita Falls, P.O. Box 4804, Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 or Life Tabernacle Church Building Fund, Wichita Falls, Texas 76309.

Visitation will be from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Monday, July 18, 2011 at Dutton Funeral Home Chapel, 300 E. Cash St., Iowa Park, Texas