Johnnie B. Parker

Johnnie B. Parker, 89 a longtime Fort Sumner resident died Monday, December 30, 2002 at a San Angelo, TX hospital following an illness. Johnnie was born September 5, 1913 in Norton, Texas to the home of Robert Fortson and the former Maude Leola Lowlar. She was reared and attended school at Crews and Ballinger, TX. Johnnie married H. Otis Parker on September 28, 1942 in Sterling City, TX. They made their home at Fort Sumner, NM where Johnnie owned and operated the Fort Sumner Floral for 26 years. She and Otis also owned and operated the Coronado Motel in Fort Sumner for over 20 years. They also ranched in Guadalupe County, south of Puerto de Luna, NM for many years. Johnnie was a member of the Methodist Church. She loved to cook and was quite an artist, she spent many hours reading and was a frequent visitor to the Fort Sumner Public Library. Johnnie was a longtime member of the Santa Rosa and Fort Sumner Garden Club; and a member of the Palomino Club Horse Association. She made her home at San Angelo in 1993 to be near her family. Johnnie was preceded in death by her husband Otis Parker on July 20, 1993, a son Phillip Otis Parker, daughter Charlotte Kay Ham, and a brother R.J. Fortson. Survivors include two sisters Comillow Seaman and Ione Reed, a brother Carrol Fortson and wife Dixie all of San Angelo, TX, and three grandchildren Kenneth Otis Parker of Salt Lake City, Utah, Cherrie Lou Ham and Jim Bob Ham of Amarillo, Texas; four Great-grandchildren Daulton Ham, Kelsey Ham, and Clay Ham and Kenneth Otis Parker Jr., and a step-daughter Loreta Hodges Thornton of San Angelo, TX two nieces Gail Hartman and Matilda Lassiter and a nephew William Seaman. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 P.M., Thursday, January 2, 2003 from the Chavez Funeral Home Chapel in Fort Sumner with Dan Craig officiating. Burial will follow at Fort Sumner Cemetery.Pallbearers were Jim Bob Ham, Kenneth Otis Parker, George Sena, Cecil West, Emmett Fallon and Carlos Sena Jr. Arrangements are under the direction of Chavez Funeral Home 804 N. Fifth Street; Fort Sumner, New Mexico. chavezfuneralhome.com