William Parker, Jr.

William S. “Bill” Parker, Jr.

June 14, 1923 ~ May 6, 2017

William S. “Bill” Parker, Jr., age 93, passed away peacefully on May 6, 2017, surrounded by his family. Bill was born in Ogden, Utah, on June 14, 1923, to William S. Parker, Sr. and Della E. Burton. He graduated from Ogden High School in 1942, and in April of 1944, he joined the Army Medical Corps. Bill was trained as a surgical technician before being sent overseas to the South-East Asian Theatre to serve in the battalion aid station of the 988th Signal Service Battalion.

After being honorably discharged from the Army in August 1946, Bill met Velma Gunnell, and they were married six months later on March 21, 1947, in Ogden, Utah. Nine years later, they were sealed in the Logan Utah LDS Temple.

After a long battle with cancer, Velma passed away on November 14, 1990. After what Bill described as the loneliest year of his life, he married Carol Hancey Daniel in Syracuse, Utah, on December 27, 1991, and they were sealed in the Washington D.C. LDS Temple on May 15, 1993. Bill credited Carol with bringing him “back from the depths of depression” after Velma’s death, and they spent many happy years together.

Bill spent 35 years working in many different areas at the Defense Depot Ogden and 12 years working for the Utah State Adult Probation and Parole before retiring on May 15, 1992.  He also did volunteer work for the American Cancer Society, the Ogden City Police Department, and the Adult Probation and Parole.

Bill was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he served in the Ogden 18th Ward as a Bishop, the Mount Ogden Stake as a High Council member, and various other positions. He will be remembered for his enduring sense of humor and deep love for his family.

Bill is survived by his four children,W. Kent Parker, Pleasant View; Karen (Curtis) Youngman, Layton; Michael L. (Susan) Parker, Bountiful; and Janet Reid-Parker, Farmington; 16 grandchildren, 42 great-grandchildren, and his wife, Carol. He was preceded in death by his wife, Velma; his parents, his sister, Wanda Montgomery; his daughter-in-law, Marianne Parker; his stepdaughter Karen Oborn; and his grandson, Tyler Reid.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 12, 2017, at 11 a.m. at the Pleasant Valley 5th Ward Chapel, 5730 Crestwood Dr., South Ogden.  Friends may visit with family on Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. and on Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at the church. Interment, Lindquist's Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 Washington Blvd.

Special thanks to Debbie and Carolyn from Tender Care Hospice and Shantel, Shirley, and Gabi from Visiting Angels for their tender loving care of our father.