Obituary of JoAn M. Parker

JoAn Parker: JoAn Margaret Powell was born September 17, 1938 to Dale Ernest Powell and Thelma Josephine Helland in Oakland, CA. She passed away November 25, 2013 in Portland, OR. JoAn has one brother, Ronnie Powell who currently lives Quincy, CA. She also had a half-sister Billie Murphy who passed away in 1990. JoAn graduated from high school in Camas, WA in 1956. She met David French at her father's service station in Carlton, OR. They married in 1957. They had three children, Lori Jeanne, Douglas Alan and Juliann Maree. They moved to Lincoln City, OR in 1966 and later divorced. In 1974 JoAn married Harris Parker. Harris had two boys, Spencer and David. This blended family lived in Washougal, WA until all of the kids were out of school. Harris and JoAn later moved to Vancouver, WA. JoAn took care of her mother in their home until she passed away in 1995. JoAn worked for several years as a dental assistant, but her most important position was loving wife and mother. Holidays were very important to her and always a significant event! She knitted, sewed and quilted and made crafts of every kind. She loved to cook and bake, and her family considered her a master gardener. Her son-in-law Don posted the following on Facebook after her death: It is with a very heavy heart that I make this post. This morning at approx. 10:45 the good Lord Almighty called another angel to be with him. My mother in law of almost 20 years passed away from surgery complications. As Angels go she belongs at the front of the line. She stood less than 5ft tall but had a heart as big the universe. Betty Crocker would call her for advice on baking. She would make 15-20 tins every year for Christmas filled with just about every cookie and fudge you could think of. Her back yard was like a English garden, it should have been in a magazine. She will be sorely missed. In retirement years Harris and JoAn enjoyed traveling extensively in their motor home, visiting many wonderful places as well as friends and family. In January of this year JoAn moved to a new home. She was very happy and spent many hours and days replanting all of her favorite bulbs, flowers, and shrubs in her new backyard and building walkways with concrete pavers. For five years JoAn fought the good fight against ovarian cancer but finally this summer and fall the complications and treatment took their toll. She was strong and fought with everything she had but lost the battle Monday morning. JoAn is survived by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Lori and Jeff Erickson Juliann and Don Lewis Spencer Parker David and Kathryn Parker Christopher Erickson, Stuart French, Lindsey Fisher, Brandon Parker, Carson Parker, Andrew Parker, Lauren Parker, Alyssa Sumner, Hailey Fisher, Donnie and Rhonda Lewis, Brian and Amy Lewis, Deborah and Joe Catania , Kaitlynn and Jon Poch, Kyle Lewis, Kevin Lewis, Brandon Bailey, Tommie Lewis, Jack Lewis, Daisy Lewis, Mason Catania, Maxx Catania JoAn was preceded in death by her mother 1995, her father 1961, her son Doug 2002 her half-sister Billie 1990 and her husband Harris 2010.