Born February 10, 1935 to Martha Louise McCrory Deer and Eugene Angus Deer, Jean attended Leinkauf School and Murphy High School where she served as Azalea Trail queen. She attended Auburn University and was a member of the Mobile Carnival Court of 1957.
She married John Parker in Mobile where they lived. There, she was a member of the Junior League of Mobile and taught piano. They relocated to Thomasville, GA in the early 1960s where she was a member of All Saints Episcopal Church. An interior decorator, accomplished musician, avid genealogist, tennis enthusiast, garden club member, talented artist and animal lover, she was known as a warm and gracious hostess. She and John enjoyed travel with friends and spending time near the water, whether at Saint Simon’s, Carabelle, Bay Point or Point Clear. Spirited and feisty, she used her gifts and abilities serving in numerous volunteer efforts throughout her life.
After John’s death in 1999, Jean returned to Mobile. She reconnected with old friends, volunteered in ministry with her church, enjoyed bridge groups and the arts.
In addition to her parents, Jean was predeceased by her husband, John Louis Parker of Thomasville, Georgia (formerly of Mobile); aunt, Lillie Lee McCrory Camp; in-laws Hubert and Margaret Zundel Parker; brothers-in- law, John Jeptha Hill; Hubert Malcolm Parker, Jr. and his wife, June; and Frank Leon Parker.
Jean is survived by her sister, Mary Frances Deer Hill; sister-in-law, Diana Balch Parker; nephews and nieces John Jeptha Hill, Jr (Martha); Edward Ashton Hill, III (Michele); Debra Hill Blackburn (Dan); David Knight Hill (Jennifer) of Kansas City, KS; Deborah Parker Angle (James) and Margaret Parker Hammack (Bill), both of Cincinatti, OH; Ann Parker Beglarian (Robin) of Salt Lake City, UT; Elizabeth Parker of Farmington, UT; Frank Leon Parker, Jr. (Shari) of Mobile; Kara Parker Bolton (Chris) of Lake Forest, IL; Ford Parker Sutthoff (John) of Sarasota, FL and numerous great nieces and nephews and other family. The family would like to thank Bay Nursing for providing excellent caregivers, including Sonya Broadus, Dorothy Turner, Annette Lockette, Tawana Cator and Lara Kelley.
Funeral service will be held from the chapel of Radney Funeral Home on Saturday, June 13, 2020, at 10 a.m. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 9 a.m. until the service hour. Interment will be in Pine Crest Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to your church or charity of choice. Condolences may be offered at www.radneyfuneralhome-mobile.com.
