Joan H. Parker

Joan H. Parker passed away in her sleep on the morning of Saturday, May 24, 2014 of natural causes. She was 79. She was born in Sacramento, KY, the daughter of Abb Atherton Humphrey and Anna Mae Humphrey. After graduation from Owensboro High School, she attended Kentucky Wesleyan College, in Owensboro, KY. After graduating with a degree in teaching, she moved on to Michigan where she taught for two years and took classes at Michigan State Univ. She also taught in Iowa. She then moved to Albuquerque, NM in 1960 for a teaching job with Albuquerque Public Schools, where she taught elementary school. She took several years off to raise her children, but helped to found A Child's Garden at First Presbyterian Church in 1971, where she taught 3 yr. olds. She taught there for 4 years. She then returned to teaching with A.P.S., and began teaching Special Education. In 1976, she received her MA in Special Education from U.N.M. She continued teaching for 25 years. A member of First Presbyterian Church, Joan met her husband of nearly 47 years, Clinton Parker, at Questers, a singles mixer at the Church. They were married in August of 1963 and were blessed with three sons and six grandchildren. At First Presbyterian Church, she was an elder and a deacon, and she sang in the choir. She loved singing and also sang with the NMSO, Albuquerque Civic Chorus, and others. She and her husband Clinton loved to travel and visited all 50 states as well as 27 foreign countries. Joan loved music, the Lobos, and Sequence (a board game). Joan moved to Fairwinds in Rio Rancho in 2011, where she lived up until her death. Joan is survived by her three sons; Andrew and wife Yvette, Todd, Russell, and wife Jodi; her Sister Mary Hunt and husband Charles, her Brother-in-Law Richard Parker and wife Ann; her six grandchildren; Cameron, Clinton, Joshua, Jillian, Kayson, and Liorah, and numerous nephews, nieces, and cousins. Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, June 21st at 11:00am at First Presbyterian Church, 215 Locust NE, 87102. In lieu of flowers the family prefers donations to the First Presbyterian Church, New Mexico Philharmonic Orchestra, P.O. Box 21428, Albuquerque, NM 87154 or another charity of your choice.