Irene was born in 1928 to Andy and Leona Riddle Parker at the family farm on Blue Top. After graduating from school, she married and left the area to live, work, and raise her family in Atlanta, GA and Knoxville, TN. She was blessed to return and reside near her kin at the same farm later in life.
Irene was a person of deep faith. She accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior at the age of 11 at Chittum Chapel. She was a member of Salem Baptist Church in Knoxville for over 40 years. She shared the love of Christ and prayed faithfully that all would come to know Jesus.
Her faith and personal resilience carried her through some of life’s greatest challenges: the loss of a child, becoming a young widow, and caregiving for a paralyzed spouse. But she was never one to give up or pity herself; instead, she focused on serving others with kindness and a gracious hospitality that became her hallmark. Family was the joy of her life, and Irene leaves a legacy of devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.
In addition to her beloved parents, Irene was preceded in death by her husband Clyde Cooper; infant daughter Barbara; second husband Walter Preston; brothers Edward (Pauline); Mack (Eva); Fred; Dennis; and Tommy (Connie) Parker; sisters Opal Parker, Ethel (Guy) Rodan; Ruth (Bill) Coffey; Evelyn (Bill) Johnson, Ruby (Gene) Mansfield; and granddaughter Alycia Griffin.
She is survived by her brother MacArthur (Debbie) Parker; her children, Ray Cooper; Susan (Dan) Griffin; Hilton (Dawn) Cooper; and five grandchildren; Savanna (Daniel) Taylor; Lauren (Ryan) Lassiter; Chris Griffin; Ava, and Aurora Cooper; seven great-grandchildren; and many special nieces and nephews.
Family will receive friends starting at 5:30 PM on Tuesday, February 24th, and the funeral service will begin at 6:30 PM, held at Coffey Funeral Home in Tazewell, TN. A graveside service for family is scheduled the following day at 10:30 AM, located at Mount Hermon United Methodist Church in Powell, TN.
Minister: Rev. Dale Berry
Honorary Pallbearers: Rick Davis, Harold Johnson, Eddie, James, Sammy, Jason, and Brody Parker
