Arlene Parkhurst

She was born on May 15, 1926 in Gering, Nebraska, the second child to Glenn Travis Parker and Florence Ione Parker. She also had one sister, Catherine.

She attended school in Melbeta, Nebraska where she met the love of her life. She was married in September of 1942 to Orvel Parkhurst. Their oldest child, Eugene, was born in Scottsbluff, Nebraska in 1944.

During World War II she lived in Vanport with her sister and mother, and worked at the Portland Vancouver Shipyards as a certified welder, also certified as an underwater welder.

Arlene and Orvel moved to Washington state shortly after World War II. There they had two more children, Ivan and Ione (Gregory). They spent many years in the Olympia area.

Although she had some outside jobs, Arlene was a stay-at-home mom for most of her life. She was a great emotional and spiritual support for her family. She loved watching her sons play baseball, football, and other sports. She helped Orvel manage and operate a successful custom haying business and later on tractor work. Orvel developed severe arthritis and retired in the early 1970s. They were snowbirds for several years, camping on the BLM land near Quartzsite, Arizona. Later on, they bought an RV park there.

She loved to do crafts of all types. She loved to crochet, do bead work, oil paint and sew. Arlene was a great cook. She loved to cook for a crowd, often entertaining 20-plus people at the RV park that she and Orvel owned in Quartzsite. She and Ione traditionally made homemade candy and cookies to give as gifts for Christmas. Together they made a cookbook that they shared with others.

In 2012 Orvel preceded her in death.

She is survived by her children Eugene (Patsy) Parkhurst of Enumclaw, Wash., Ivan (Rose) Parkhurst of Covington, Wash., and Ione (Ron) Gregory of Rainier, Wash.; grandchildren Ray (Donn) Parkhurst, Natalie Mayfield, Brady Swanbeck, and Shelley (Daylin) Brevik; great-grandchildren Leighanne Parkhurst, Joey Parkhurst, Rachelle Brevik, Devon Brevik, and Parker Gregory; and several great-great-grandchildren. Preceding her in death were grandsons Chad Parkhurst and Travis Gregory.