On July 4th, Roy I. ("Rip") Parker, Sr. completed his final assignment at the McClelland Veterans Hospital in Little Rock. He was the son of Lloyd and Katie Thomas Parker and was born March 23, 1923 in Rolla, Arkansas.
He was an avid gardener, hunter and fisherman. Roy was an outstanding athlete in basketball, track and field (where he qualified for the state final meet) and fast pitch softball. He was a 50 year member of International Machinist Association. His superb pitching ability earned him a job at Lion Oil/Monsanto which turned into a 37 year career. Roy was of the Greatest Generation. As a member of the First Marine Division he landed at Peleliu Island, on Okinawa and in North China after VJ Day. He was awarded the Bronze Star for helping to remove wounded Marines from the battlefield.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Oda Mae Kegley; and brother, Eugene (Pete) Parker.
He is survived by his wife of nearly 69 years, Helen Ray Campbell Parker, his high school sweetheart of El Dorado; son, Major (Ret. USAF) Roy I. Parker, Jr. of El Dorado; daughter,Dianne Hyden (Jim) of Little Rock; son, Bill Parker (Marilyn) of Wasilla, Alaska; grandchildren, Clinton Aguiar (Angie) of Little Rock, B.J. Aguiar (Melissa) of Little Rock, Terrance Parker (Stephanie) of Wollstein, Germany, and Katherine Parker of Wasilla, Alaska; great grandchildren, Ford Aguiar and Elizabeth Aguiar of Little Rock, Lara, Stella and Lyka Parker of Wollstein, Germany.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 6, 2011, from 6-8 PM at Young's.
Funeral services will be held on July 7, 2011, at 2 PM at Young's Chapel. Interment will follow at Marysville Cemetery under the direction of Young’s Funeral Directors.
Memorials may be made to the Arkansas Veterans Home in Little Rock or the Marysville Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund c/o Bancorp South in El Dorado.
The family wishes to thank the Arkansas Veterans Home for the love, care and chapel services that he received there for the past 3 1/2 years. Also, the Veterans Hospital in Little Rock for the skilled and compassionate care he received there in his final days.
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