MaryAnn Lilly Parker, 92, a longtime Skagit County resident, passed away on Sunday, December 7, 2014 at Home Place in Burlington.
MaryAnn was born on January 14, 1922 in Bispgarden, Sweden the daughter of Nils Erland & Annie Petronella-Eugenia (Haggbloom) Pearson. The family immigrated through Canada to the Bellingham area in 1924 and there she was raised and attained her education, graduating from Bellingham High School. She then attended Western Washington College (Bellingham Normal School) earning a degree in education.
On December 27, 1942 she was united in marriage to Harry “Lynn” Parker in Bellingham. After Lynn’s discharge from the service in 1945 they moved to the Clear Lake area and MaryAnn was a devoted wife and mother. She later returned to WWC earning new certification to become a teacher. She was a special needs and language teacher to students at several schools in the Sedro-Woolley School District for over 20 years.
MaryAnn has been a longtime and active member of the Community Covenant Church in Clear Lake. She enjoyed cooking and canning and traveling, experiencing new cultures in Sweden, Spain and England.
She is survived by her children and their spouses, Linda & Steve Tisdel of Shoreline, WA, Gregory & Janet Parker of Seattle, Steven & Toni Parker of North Port, WA, David & Peggy Parker of Mukilteo, WA and Marcia Parker of Bellingham; 10 grandchildren; 2 step-grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Nils Erland Pearson and her mother & step-father, Annie & George Richardson; a daughter Gloria in 1955, her husband Lynn in 1998 and a sister Edith.
Graveside Services will be held at the Greenacres Memorial Park in Ferndale on Friday, December 12, 2014 at 11:00 AM followed by a Life Celebration service at 1:00 PM at the Community Covenant Church in Clear Lake with Pastor Tim Hedberg officiating. A time of visitation will be at Lemley Chapel on Wednesday from noon to 5PM and on Thursday from 9AM to 8PM, with the family greeting visitors from 6 to 8PM. Memorials to the Clear Lake Community Covenant Church or the Alzheimer’s Association are suggested
MaryAnn has been a patient of ours since 1981. We just loved her. She was one of our favorite patients. MaryAnn was always so kind and sweet and full of smiles. Our condolences to her family and friends. We will miss her.
Dr. John Matterand, Dr. Larry Forsythe and staff
I told your sweet mother many times that were it not for her “Five Day Club” in the backyard on Whiting Street, my daughters Christina and Louisa might never have come to Christ and remained such active members of their respective churches. That says a lot about the kind of person she was: sharing, caring, persistent, and fair. I admired her so much for her personal dignity and grace. She will be truly missed by so many of us. We will keep all of you in our prayers!