Alma Leona Parker

Fresno Bee, Wednesday, Sept 6, 2000
(Fresno, California)
 

Mrs. Alma Leona Parker

    Mrs. Parker, a longtime resident of Selma, passed away Saturday, September 2, 2000 in Kingsburg, California.  She was born June 16, 1907 in a half dugout, between the forks of the Red River near Gould, Greer County, Oklahoma Territory.  She was the third child of 12, and oldest daughter born to William Henry Young and Maggie Lee Rippetoe Young, early homesteaders to that area.  Two years after Oklahoma became a state, Greer County split and the area where Alma was born became Harmon County, Oklahoma.

   Alma grew up on the family homestead and began cooking for her large family at such a young age, that she had to stand on a box to reach the stove.  On December 24, 1928, at age 21, she married Charlie Henry Parker in Hollis, Harmon County, Oklahoma.  Charlie and Alma became tenant farmers there and had two children before making the move to California in 1936.

   After moving to California, Charlie became involved primarily in farm labor, while Alma worked at various packing houses, canneries, etc.  They had two more children, lived and worked in several locations around the San Joaquin Valley before settling in Selma, California in 1955.  Alma is preceded in death by her husband, Charlie and all eleven of her brothers and sisters.

   She is survived by one daughter, Wanda Baker of Selma and her three sons, Robert of Washington, Charles of Fowler and Wesley of Fresno.  She leaves ten grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren and four great-greatgrandchildren.

   She was always a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and sister.  She loved quilting, sewing, crocheting, knitting and especially enjoyed playing the piano and singing in church.

   Graveside services will be held at Floral Memorial Park, Selma, CA, on Wednesday, September 6, 2000, at 3:00 P.M.

   In lieu of flowers, the family requests remembrances be sent to Hinds Hospice, 1616 W. Shaw Ave., Suite C-1, Fresno, CA 93711.

 From The Fresno Bee, Wednesday, Sept 6, 2000

(Alma was a granddaughter of Martha Jane Burkett Young and William A. Young; and a great granddaughter of Henry Burkett and Mary “Polly” Epley Burkett.  She was the mother of Wes Parker of Fresno, CA who has contributed much to our family history.)