RAYMOND PARKER SR. obituary

ROCKY BOY - Raymond Parker Sr., 75, former tribal council member at Rocky Boy, died Monday, Oct. 13, 2003, at a Havre care facility of natural causes.

A wake service began Monday afternoon at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church. The Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Rocky

Boy Catholic

Church, with the Rev. Pete Guthneck officiating. A committal rite will follow the funeral Mass at the Rocky Boy Cemetery with military honors provided by the United Veterans Council.

Raymond was born on June 2, 1928, to John and Elizabeth (Nomee) Parker at Rocky Boy. He grew up and attended schools in Rocky Boy. He was raised by Samatt.

In 1946 he joined the U.S. Army and served in Germany until 1949, when he received an honorable discharge. He returned to Montana working as a carpenter and farmer and became active in tribal affairs. Later he served for 13 years as a tribal council member.

In 1959 he married Merceline LaMere and the couple raised their large family at Rocky Boy.

Raymond enjoyed bingo, traveling, fishing, powwow and handgame.

Raymond was preceded in death by his parents, John and Elizabeth (Nomee) Parker; daughter, Elinor Parker; grandson, Justin Cole Whitford; brothers, Leonard, Robert and Gilbert Parker; and sister, Cecelia Parker.

Survivors include his wife, Merceline (LaMere) Parker of Rocky Boy; daughters, Diane (Bob) Swan, Elizabeth (Art) Whitford, Jennifer (Virgil) Parker and Courtney Small, all of Rocky Boy, Tracy Parker of Washington, Marsha (Mike) Sayer of Pennsylvania, Brenda (Terry) Hollis of California, and Mary Jane (Leonard) Small of Box Elder; sons, Raymond Parker Jr., Randall (Linda) Parker, Wayne (Karen) Parker, Ted (Linda) Parker, Jayde Parker and Austin Whitford, all of Rocky Boy, James (Tammy) Houle of Box Elder, and Arthur Whitford Jr., serving in the U.S. Navy; sisters, Lucy (Don) Meiwald, Anna (Alan) Crane, Betty (Donald) Wetsit and Mary Ann Whitford, all of Rocky Boy; brothers, John (Helen) Parker, Alfred (Ethel) Parker and Paul (Darlene) Parker, all of Rocky Boy; 38 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.