Opal Maurine Parker

She was born in Jonesboro, Louisiana, was raised in Franklin Parish/Transylvania, and had been a resident of Sulphur for the last 62 years. Opal was an extremely kind and considerate woman who everyone wanted to be around. She was a good listener and would always help everyone that she could without complaint. She was an excellent and creative cook. Opal owned and operated a daycare for 24 years, served as a manager for Tupperware for over 20 years, and also worked as a receptionist for her son-in-law for 25 years, but over all, her favorite job was being a mother and grandmother.

Survivors include her children, James Ronald Parker and wife, Vickie of Sulphur, Kenneth Odell Parker and wife, Tonja of Kasson, Minnesota, and Julie Ann Peterson and husband, Jeff of Sulphur; daughters-in-law, Martha Parker of Greenville, South Carolina and Mary Ann Van Haverbeke of Rio Rancho, New Mexico; siblings, Cecile McKeivier of Sulphur and Wayne Walker of Winnsboro; eight grandchildren, Todd Parker and wife, Amy, Tim Parker, Chad Parker and wife, Courtney, Emily Parker, Jon Peterson, Joel Peterson, and Jillian Peterson; seven great-grandchildren, Blythe Parker, Emma Parker, Nolan Parker, Pierce Parker, Yates Parker, Oliver Peterson, and Mary Jane Scott. She is preceded in death by her husband, J.N. Parker; a son, William Dalton Parker; and sisters, Geraldine Williams and Betty Thompson.

Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, August 16, in Houston River Baptist Church in Sulphur. The Rev. Lonnie Gothrup will officiate. Burial will be in Mimosa Pines Cemetery South in Carlyss under the direction of Hixson-Sulphur Memorial Funeral Home. Visitation is from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday in the funeral home and from 9 a.m. until the time of service Thursday in the church. Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.hixsonfuneralhomes.com.