Evelyn Parker

Evelyn Thompson Parker, 83, of Arlington passed away Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. Services will be 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 7, 2014 at Moore Funeral Home Chapel, 1219 North Davis Drive, Arlington, Texas. The family will recieve friends for visitation 11:30 to 12:30 at the funeral home.

Evelyn Thompson Parker was born December 17, 1930. She was the third of five children born to Ed and Mary Susan Thompson in Grand Prairie, Texas. She attended school in Grand Prairie with the distinction of never missing a day of school. When she was in the first grade she decided that she did not want to go. Sisters, Mary Sue and Billie, had to drag her up the hill and walk her to the school. She liked it and from that time on she didn't want to miss a single day. She graduated from Grand Prairie High School in 1948. Evelyn accepted a scholarship awarded for perfect attendance and attended Arlington State College for two years. After college, she was employed by LTV as a librarian. She worked in this position for 35 years before retiring in 1986.

Evelyn married Winfred Byron Parker in 1952 and they made their home in Arlington, Texas. They travelled extensively with their RV and friends, many times taking along their little dog, Tiger, and a bird cage full of Cockatiels. Shirley and Lloyd Counts enjoyed many RV trips with them. The Parker home was always open to family and friends; the coffee pot was always on. Everyone knew that there were no intruders and that they were welcome at anytime. Evelyn and Win, called "Bubba" by his nieces and nephews, never had children of their own so they adopted all the nieces and nephews, neighbor children and their friend's children. Sheri and Steve Thompson tell stories of how Evelyn and Win would take them in the RV to the KOA campground for camping and swimming. Evelyn always had red Jell-O and chocolate pudding on hand for the kids. When they came to visit she would make brownies with nuts on one side and the other without because the kids did not like nuts.

Betty Austin remembers how she and Jimmy enjoyed boating and water skiing at Grapevine Lake with Evelyn and Bubba. Many Friday nights Betty and Jimmy played Yahtzee with Evelyn while Bubba worked. Evelyn made wonderful candies and shared them generously with friends; divinity, fudge, and pralines, yum! Evelyn and Win enjoyed 46 years together before his death in 1998. Her brother, John Thompson then organized a family dinner every Saturday night to suport Evelyn and keep the family to gather. It grew over the next 20+ years to include siblings, cousins, and friends. Evelyn was always there.

After Win's death, Evelyn became a devoted member of the "Lift Group", a grief support program at Moore Funeral Home. She also enjoyed lunches and other gatherings of her high school graduation class. She helped organize many reunions and attended every one. Evelyn loved to dance and attended the dances sponsored by the Senior Citizens group in Arlington. She danced at the dances, she danced around the house, and she danced with her birds.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband, Win; her parents, Ed and Susie Thompson; a brother, Pete Thompson.

Survivors include two sisters, Billie Shelton and Mary Sue Shelton and her husband Jim; one brother, John Thompson and his wife, Nelda; sister-in-law Myrna Thompson; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends, especially Charlene White and Shirley Counts who laughted with her, cared for her and supported her throughout her lifetime.