Sept. 1, 1922 – Aug. 24, 2018
Roy George Parker, 95 (soon to be 96), passed away unexpectedly on Aug. 24, 2018, at 9:49 p.m. He was born in a brick home in Ogden, Utah, on Sept. 1, 1922, to George and Eunice Love Parker.
He met his wife, Emma Norine Neilson, at a dance in the Ogden City Ballroom. He asked her if she remembered his name. She didn’t so he told her it was Roy which rhymes with boy and what do you do when you park a car, you pull it up to the curb and then you Parker (park her). She never forgot his name.
They were married on Sept. 11, 1942, and were sealed in the Logan temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1964. They had three children: Jeffry (born in 1943), Jill (born in 1947) and Kelly (born in 1957).
Before Norine, his first love was a dog named Benny. Dad said it was love at first sight.
Roy’s dad worked on the railroad until the Depression, when they had to move to the farm in West Point, Utah, which they shared with his Uncle Grant. There was no electricity or indoor plumbing. When Roy was 10 years old his job was to fetch water from the well and take the cows to the pasture.
He moved to Long Beach, California, with his mother. While there he graduated from Poly Tech High School at the age of 18. He loved living in Long Beach.
Roy lived with his family until he was 20. Norine wanted to know why he moved out. He told her because I married you.
During World War II he didn’t want to be drafted so he enlisted in the Army Air Corps on Oct. 28, 1942. A month after he was married, he was sent to Yuma, Arizona, where he was trained to be an aircraft mechanic. Part of his job was to maintain bombers to ensure they were capable of transporting and launching atomic bombs. His service was terminated on Nov. 28, 1945.
After the war he worked at Hill Air Force Base doing the job he loved most – being an aircraft mechanic. He retired in 1976 and moved to St. George, Utah.
Roy was intelligent. He liked to read. He of course was a mechanic. He could have written a book on home repair. He enjoyed painting, carving birds and playing the guitar by ear (no lessons). He used to fish but decided it was too much work and would rather catch his fish at the market. He loved to do crossword puzzles. He fought to get rid of Daylight Savings Time till his dying day.
The hardest day of his life was the day Norine died. He missed her.
Roy is survived by his children: Jeff (Ilvia), Jill (Dennis) Thayn, and Kelly (Wendy); 11 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Norine.
Funeral services
- Funeral services will be held on his birthday, Saturday, Sept. 1, at 2 p.m., at the Metcalf Mortuary Chapel, 288 West St. George Blvd., St. George, Utah.
- A visitation will be held Saturday, prior to services, from 1-1:45 p.m. at the mortuary.
- Interment with military honors will follow at Tonaquint Cemetery, 1777 South Dixie Drive, St. George, Utah.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Metcalf Mortuary, 435-673-4221.
For condolences, full obituary and funeral listings please visit Metcalf Mortuary online.