Margaret Parker

Margaret Louise Parker (nee’ Miller), 88, of Circleville, passed away peacefully Friday, February 4, 2011 at Pickaway Manor Care Center, Circleville. She was born March 3, 1922, in Washington C.H. She graduated from Bloomingburg High School in 1940.

She married Emil L. Parker, August 10, 1941. The couple lived at Catawba Island, OH, briefly before WWII and again after the war from 1946 until 1964 when they moved to Scotrun in the Pocono Mountains, PA. Upon her husband’s retirement in 1972, the couple returned to Ohio and built a home outside of Laurelville, where they established Emil’s Clock Shoppe. They lived there for 25 years until moving to Circleville for their remaining years.

A lifelong Methodist, Mrs. Parker was active in church activities and committees in each of the congregations she and her husband joined through the years. Mrs. Parker also served as a delegate to the Methodist West Ohio Conference in Lakeside for several years. In addition to her many contributions to her church, Mrs. Parker was a member of the Child Conservation League, a Cub Scout Den Mother and helped establish the first Girl Scout troop at Catawba Island. While in Hocking County, she served on the Board of Elections.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Emil L. Parker; her parents, Charles and Arthelia (nee’ Patterson) Miller; and brothers, Harold, Donald and Kenneth Miller.

She is survived by their children, Janet (James) Bieber of Columbus, David (Nancy) Parker, Schenectady, NY and Gary Parker, Chester, VA; grandchildren, Bradley Bieber, Lynne (Paul Grunden) Bieber, Lorraine (David Robinson) Bieber, Amanda Parker, Stephanie Parker, Jennifer (Brendan) Getter and Jeffrey Meers; great-grandchildren, Lucia Grunden, Tulia Spurgeon-Bieber, Beatrix Robinson, Dylan and Jillian Getter; sisters, Phyllis (Everett) Sheets and Ann (Archie) Fruth; brother, Paul (Ann) Miller; sisters-in-law, Kay Miller and Ellen Parker; brothers-in-law, Joe Parker, William (Beatrice) Parker, Robert (Helen) Parker and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at Community United Methodist Church, 120 N. Pickaway St., Circleville, OH 43113, with Pastor Barry Burns officiating. Interment at Bloomingburg Cemetery, Fayette County. Friends may call from 6-8 p.m. Monday at Defenbaugh-Wise-Schoedinger Funeral Home, 151 E. Main St., Circleville. Memorial contributions may be made to Community UMC at the above address; Central Ohio Diabetes Association, 1100 Dennison Ave., Columbus, OH 43201; or the American Heart Association, 5455 N. High St., Columbus, OH 43214-1127. To send condolences, visit

www.schoedinger.com.