Juanita Eloise Parker

December 30, 1914 - April 3, 2015

Juanita Eloise Parker died peacefully at the age of 100, on April 3, 2015, in Beaumont, Texas. She was the oldest of four children, born on December 30, 1914, in Logansport, Louisiana to Winnie and Vaughn Christian. In 1933 she married Harvie Parker and moved to Port Arthur where they began their long life together. It was a marriage that lasted until his death in 1981. Juanita was a devoted mother, wife and community and church leader; a member of Memorial Baptist Church since moving to Port Arthur in 1933. Juanita Parker was an active volunteer at her church having taught Sunday School and serving as leader of the girl's auxiliary. She was active in public affairs and supporter and partner of her husband, Harvie Parker, who served as mayor and president of Local 23 of the OCAW. She was active in the OCAW ladies auxiliary, as well as other civic endeavors. Juanita loved her family and was so interested in her ancestry that she traveled throughout the United States and Europe doing research with her sister who wrote and published a book concerning the Christian family. She was an avid reader, gardener and loved to travel, as well as a hobbyist who kept her friends supplied with various handmade items resulting from her handicrafts. Many of her friends remember her on group trips as being among the liveliest of the bunch. Juanita Parker always cared for others as demonstrated by her generosity, stating that because she was unable financially as a young girl to go to college, she did not want other young women to face the same fate. She then endowed the Parker Family Scholarship at Lamar State College Port Arthur. Juanita Parker was predeceased by her husband, Harvie Parker, and her son, Bruce Parker. She is survived by two children, Carl Parker and wife, Beverly; and Karen Parker Trees and husband, Bob, 7 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren. Visitation will be on Monday, April 6, 2015 from 5 PM to 7 PM at Clayton Thompson Funeral Home in Groves. Funeral service will be at 2:00 PM Tuesday, April 7, 2015 in the Thompson Memorial Chapel at Clayton Thompson with Dr. Ray Meador, officiating. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Parker Family Scholarship at Port Arthur Higher Education Foundation, P. O. Box 1446, Port Arthur, Texas, 77641.