Gregory Warren Parker, age 64, passed away on the evening of March 19, 2017 at his home in Kent, Washington.
Greg is survived by his wife of nearly forty years, Patti Fluke, by his four daughters: Amanda Parker-Jones, Maegan Parker Brooks, Emily Parker, and Plum Parker, by his two grandchildren: Sawyer and Evalyn Brooks, and by his brother, Fred Parker and his sister Peggins Parker LaGra.
He is preceded in death by his mother and father, Raymond Parker and Evalyn (Coleman) Parker.
Greg was born on March 3, 1953 in Centralia, Washington. Throughout his childhood, Greg’s family moved to different logging and gold mining camps throughout Oregon and Northern California before the family settled in Kent, Washington.
Greg attended Kent Meridian High School from 1968-1971. He met Patti there in 1969. The couple later attended Fairhaven College in Bellingham as well as the University of Washington.
They also spent time living in Lawrence, Kansas where Patti pursued her Master’s degree and in Silver Creek, Washington where they worked at a sawmill.
Once they married and started a family, Patti and Greg moved back to Kent. In 1978, Greg began a nearly forty-year career with NC Machinery—first as a mechanic, then a crew chief, and ultimately a service and product support manager for the heavy equipment division. Greg’s exemplary work ethic earned him the profound respect of customers and coworkers alike. He relished his frequent business trips to Dutch Harbor, Alaska where he sailed aboard the fishing vessels NC powered, exploring the Bering Sea. Greg also enjoyed family vacations to the island of Kauai.
Greg was a gifted musician and craftsman. He played guitar and various jug band instruments, which he constructed from household objects. He also loved oil painting, bonsai pruning, totem pole carving, and restoring vintage cars, trucks, boats, and even an Airstream Trailer.
Even more than his noble work ethic, his passion for travel, and his broad-range of talents and interests, Greg’s family will remember his love of children and animals. At the age of 52, Patti and Greg welcomed their fourth daughter, Plum, into the family and she filled his final years with great joy. Over the forty-eight years of Greg and Patti’s courtship, moreover, they cared for chickens, goats, cats, a pony and now, with Plum, they are raising three dogs and a houseful of birds!
Greg packed a lot of hard work, joyful making, and profound love into his 64 years on this earth.
In recent years, he dreamt of retiring to a log cabin on the lake. The family is comforted by the belief that he has found that final, well-deserved, respite.
Greg’s Memorial Service will be held on Friday, March 31 at 2pm at Kent United Methodist Church, 11010 SE 248th St, Kent, WA 98030 with a reception to follow.
