Brenda Miller Parker

“It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a

spiritual body.”

Brenda Miller Parker, 77, of Harmony, North Carolina spread her wings on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at the Gordon Hospice House following an extended illness. She was born on July 8, 1948 in Iredell County and was the daughter of the late Willie Lee Miller and Louise Turner Miller.

Brenda was a graduate of Morningside High School Class of 1967. She furthered her education at Harris Barber College in Raleigh where she became a licensed barber in August of 1968.

On January 1, 1969 Brenda Miller married her high school sweetheart Willard Eugene Parker, who passed away in May of 2020. Brenda and Willard were married for 51 years.

In addition to her husband, Willard Parker, and parents, Willie and Louise Miller, Brenda was preceded in death by her infant sister, Vonnie Miller; her half sister, Daisy Ann Holmes; her sisters, Mary Ann Gordie and Mildred Louise Miller Scott; brother, Willie Edward Miller; nephew, Timothy Enoch Miller; niece, April Michelle Stinson; sister-in-law, Linda Kay Bailey; brothers-in-law, Robert Lee Gordie Sr. and Joe Neil Scott Sr.; and her best friend and sister-in-law, Annie Lee Kinney.

She was a member of Rocky Creek A.M.E. Zion Church in Harmony.

She is survived by her daughter, Denise Parker Gillespie (Todd), of Harmony; granddaughter, Iesha Gillespie (Lamar) of Mooresville; grandson, TJ “Heavy ” Gillespie (Madison) of Yadkinville; great grandson, Lawson Gillespie of Mooresville; two great granddaughters, Trinity Gillespie of Mooresville and Harlowe Gillespie of Yadkinville; brother, Kenneth Miller of Statesville; cousin, Adell White (Frank) of Statesville; sisters-in-law Maggie Stinson, Peggy Morrison (Tyrone), and Josephine Miller and brother-in-law, Leonard Kinney Sr., all of Statesville; special nephew and niece, Robert Gordie Jr. and Kizler Kinney Heaggans, both of Statesville; and a host of other nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, and special friends.

Mrs. Parker will lie in repose at Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. and also on Thursday, September 11, 2025 from 9:00 a.m. until 10:45 a.m.

A service to celebrate Mrs. Parker's life will be conducted in the Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home Chapel on Thursday, September 11, 2025 from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. Burial will follow at Salisbury National Cemetery.

The family of Mrs. Brenda Parker extends a heartfelt thank you to Hospice and Palliative Care of Iredell County and to the staff of the Gordon Hospice House; to Statesville Family Practice and Jessica Wood FNP-BC; to Iredell Nephrology Center and Dr. Willie R Whitaker, MD; and to InStride Carolina Foot Care Associates and Dr. Shalonda Davidson, DPM. In addition, many thanks are extended to Reverend Will Funderburk, Pastor Teresa Stafford, Reverend Marcus Farmer, Pastor Keisha Minor Carr and Brother Freddie Morrison.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Iredell County by mail to 2347 Simonton Road; Statesville, North Carolina 28625 or online at www.hoic.org/

Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.bunchjohnsonfuneralhome.com

Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home of Statesville is honored to be entrusted with the care of Mrs. Parker and her family.