Earnest Eugene "Gene" Parker's Obituary
Earnest Eugene “Gene” Parker, 79, passed away on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. Born in LaFollette, Tenn. in August 1943 to Earnest and Wanda Parker, Gene graduated from LaFollette High School in 1961. He spent time after graduation further developing his lifelong love of all things aviation and automotive working for Delta Airlines before joining the United States Army in 1965, later continuing his military service in the Tennessee National Guard. After his time in the military, Gene made his way to Memphis, Tenn. where he began a lengthy career in automotive sales, spanning more than three decades, and joined Bellevue Baptist Church where he was baptized and met the love of his life and eventual wife of 29 years, Peggy. A devoted father, husband, and church member, having served alongside friends as a Bellevue usher for many years, Gene was also an avid newspaper reader and a marvelous storyteller, regaling loved ones with humorous retellings of the trials and tribulations of working in the Mid-South automotive industry. In his later years until the end of his life, Gene became part of a truly loving and caring community at The King’s Daughters and Sons Home in Bartlett, Tenn.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents Earnest and Wanda, his sister Janet Lovett, and stepdaughter Cyndee Patterson Jenkins. He leaves behind his loving wife, Peggy Parker of Memphis, as well as his son Bryan Parker, daughter-in-law Karen, and grandchildren Aaron and Addisyn, all of La Porte, Texas. He leaves a brother-in-law, Moses Lovett, as well as niece Felicia Evett, her husband Wes, and great-niece and great-nephew Lillian and Thatcher, all of Dallas, Ga. He also leaves stepdaughters Tammy Shannon (Derek) of Memphis, Ginger Levenhagen (Don) of Indianapolis, Cheryl Miller of Sheridan, Ark., and Pamela Yates (Michael) of Bartlett. In addition, Gene leaves behind a number of step-grandchildren, step-great-grandchildren, and an absolute wealth of friends at Bellevue.
Arrangements for Gene are being graciously coordinated by Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery in Memphis. Visitation will be held Monday, January 9 from 5-7 p.m., and a service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, January 10.
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