E.C. Parker Jr.

Funeral Services for E.C. Parker, Jr. of Bonham, Texas will be held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, October 25, 2017 at Wise Funeral Home Chapel, officiated by Rev. Ricky Robbins and Rev. Dana Coker. Interment with Military Honors will follow at Willow Wild Cemetery in Bonham. E.C. died on October 21, 2017 due to complications related to a stroke. E.C. was born on April 22, 1920 in Edhube, Texas to E.C. Parker, Sr. and Berniece Rogers Parker.
E.C. was the oldest of the family that included three younger sisters. During his teenage years, the family moved to Ector, Texas when he transferred to Bonham High School. For several years, he was the only student that had a car. At the age of 16, he was awarded the honor of 4 H Boy of the year for the State of Texas. He travelled by train to Chicago to the 4H National Convention where he delivered a speech to over 5000 persons. At Bonham High School, he lettered in just about every sport including football, basketball and baseball. He graduated from there in 1938 and was offered a full scholarship to Texas A&M College Station, but his parents convinced him that the military was the most honorable and better choice for their only son.
E.C. served as an Army medic during World War II in Hawaii, the Marshall and the Mariana Islands and Saipan. He was also on the Army wrestling and baseball teams. During his military time, he began a letter writing romance with Jo Willa Cox. Upon return to the states, he and Jo Willa were married at Clark Memorial Methodist Church on May 25, 1945. They travelled to San Antonio until E.C. was discharged later that year. He was discharged with the rank of Staff Sergeant.
Upon their return to Fannin County, he and Jo Willa bought their forever home that connected to his family land. E. C. always had a herd of cattle until he was about 80 years old. Besides cattle raising, he worked as a carpenter and used his skills to remodel houses that he would buy and rent. He and Jo Willa raised three children: Joe, Betsy and Dana. E.C. was a man with a brilliant mind that was way ahead of his time in so many ways. Like most World War II veterans, he suffered from PTSD and struggled with the illness all his life. He was known for being somewhat eccentric and a practical joker. He met every person with a handshake and a smile. He was a man that never wasted his energy on words. He worked from sun up to sun down to ensure all his children and grandchildren received at least one to two college degrees. In the last three decades, he enjoyed watching the RFD (Rural Farm Development) network, good cooking and a good recliner.
His faith was very important to him. He loved to sing and hum. He hummed hymns up until his death. For decades he served as Sunday School Superintendent for Clark Memorial Methodist Church including ringing the church bell. He always tried to teach what he knew to his nephews and many other teenage boys including carpentry, plumbing, and electrical. He loved history, any type of auction and antiques. He was probably Fannin County's first "picker." He was doing "Pintrest" projects many years before it was even developed.
He is preceded in death by his loving wife Jo Willa on December 31, 2012 and beloved son, Joe Cox Parker on March 13, 2007. He is also predeceased by a grandson, Matthew Cox Parker, his parents, his sisters, Mary Helen Keener and Jean Covert, and niece Jackie Bragg and nephew Press Cox.
He is survived by his daughters, Betsy Sterkel and husband Terry, Dana Nix and husband Charles, all of Bonham, daughter-in law Tricia Parker of Greenville, granddaughters, Heather Mosrie and husband David of Austin, Lauren Habluetzel and husband Wes of Greenville and Katie Hrncir and husband Stephen of Corpus Christi. Great grandchildren: Nicholas, Madeleine and Mason Mosrie of Austin and Matthew and Grayson Hrncir of Corpus Christi. Sister Mozell Bragg and brother in law and sister in law, Billy and Bobbie Cox. Nieces and nephews: Parker McComas, Julie Abston, Tom Bragg, John Bragg, LuAnn Keener-Mikenas, Leldon Cox, Cindy Godbey, Sandra Smith.
The family is so thankful for the loving caregivers that provided him incredible care and that enabled E.C. to live and die in his own home. The family is so grateful to the Bonham VA Home Based Primary Care, Northeast Medical Home Health and Home Hospice of Grayson and Fannin County.

Pallbearers will be Wes Habluetzel, Charles Nix, Terry Sterkel, Michael Godbey, John Godbey and Stan Barker. Honorary Pallbearers will be Carrol Mulder, Danny Stroud, Roger Stapp, Jimmy Piott, Ricky Nichols, Craig Nichols and Jerry Jones.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Fannin County Museum of History, One Main, Bonham, Texas. The family will receive friends from 5-7 PM, Tuesday evening, October 24, 2017.