Leona Parker

Leona Parker, 83 of Linden Court went to heaven on September 22, 2014.
Leona Elizabeth Childers Parker was born on June 6, 1931, in Holbrook, Nebraska to Ira Orville and Cozy Ellen Childers. Her early years were spent in Holbrook where her family farmed. The family later moved to Maywood when she was a young girl. She married Calvin Lang in 1952. They lived in Curtis, Nebraska and had one daughter, Debra. Calvin passed away in 1973.

Leona married Wayne Parker on October 10, 1973. They made their home in Curtis, Nebraska until they moved to North Platte, Nebraska in September of 2011.

Leona was a hard worker her whole life, making the best of whatever came her way. Her many jobs included being a switchboard operator at the central office in Dickens, different positions in cafes, grocery stories, making pizzas, being a child care provider and working at the senior center. Her favorite job was when she was a nurses’ aide at Sunset Haven. She loved visiting with people hoping she could brighten their day. She retired in the spring of 2011 at the age of 80.

She loved animals and was always feeding birds, squirrels, and a wild turkey that came every day, looking for food even after she had moved. Leona loved her pet dogs and was always trying to find a home for the endless kittens that came to her door. She was a wonderful cook and raised a garden. She enjoyed canning and taking care of flowers and plants. Leona was a devoted wife and took excellent care of her husband Wayne until she could no longer because of their failing health.

Leona was a wonderful mother and grandmother. She read to her daughter, Debbie, taking her to the library and buying many books to read with her. She loved her granddaughters and enjoyed making special treats for them at Thanksgiving and Christmas. She will be greatly missed.

Those that are left to cherish her memory are husband Wayne, daughter Debra (Jon) Covey of Maywood, Nebraska; two granddaughters, Amanda of Lincoln and
Randi (Wes) of North Platte; a step daughter Janet Parker of Nashville, Tennessee; a nephew Terry (Rita) McPherson of Arvada, Colorado; two nieces, Judy (Delbert) Bahnsen and Barbara Peiham both of North Platte, Nebraska.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband, two sisters Charlotte Ballard, Maxine Parker and a niece Carolyn Schnacker.

Register book signing will be available from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Wednesday September 24, 2014 at Blase-Wetzel-Strauser Memorial chapel in Curtis, NE.

Graveside inurnment will take place at 2:30pm, Thursday, September 25, 2014 in the Floral Lawns Memorial Gardens, North Platte, Nebraska.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to Alzheimer research are suggested.