Marion Louise Parker

Marion Louise Parker, known to many as "Mama Parker," was called home by our Heavenly Father on January 14, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio, concluding a blessed journey of 101 years.

Born on March 27, 1923, in Kansas City, Kansas, she was a cherished child of the late Willie and Ella Townsend.

A faithful servant of the Lord, Marion was a cornerstone of the Metropolitan Baptist Temple in Kansas City, Kansas. Marion’s dedication to her faith remained steadfast throughout her life. Her presence was a testament to the virtues of humility, love, and gratitude. With a heart full of the Lord's grace, she ministered to her community through acts of kindness, embodying the spirit of servitude and respect for all of God's creation.

Marion's laughter was a beacon of joy, her counsel a source of wisdom, and her home an oasis of hospitality. She found solace in the simple pleasures of life, from the sanctity of baking bread to the joy of fellowship with loved ones. Her legacy is one of nurturing not just the bodies but the souls of those she encountered.

In 1940, she met her future husband and career soldier, Master Sergeant Gardner Earl Parker, Sr. They married two years later on November 3, 1942, in Reno, Nevada. It was while Gardner and Marion were stationed in Santa Cruise, CA, that their first child, Gardner E. Parker, Jr., was born.

The young family experienced many perks from being in the Army. They were able to travel and live all over the United States and Europe. One of the highlights of their lives in Europe was spending time with the late, great Josephine Baker. It was an eye-opening experience for a quiet country girl from the Mississippi Delta. Shortly after returning to the States from Europe, the couple’s second child, Vivienne Noel, was born in Richmond, VA. Their third child, Wendell “Tony” Parker, arrived after their retirement and relocation to Kansas City, KS.

In Kansas City, Marion began her career as a Day Care provider for nieces and nephews. Soon her clientele included neighbors, and her reputation grew as a compassionate professional provider, allowing her business to explode in numbers. During this time someone began referring to her as “Mama Parker.”  Her business flourished, enabling her to care for more than 100 children over the next 30 years.

In 2002, after her husband of 60 years went home to be with the Lord, she moved to Cleveland, Ohio, to live with her sister, Alphonse Townsend Parker. They enjoyed each other’s company for the next 20 years. It was there on January 14, 2025, at the age of 101 that she was born into eternity.

Left to honor her memory are her sons, Gardner E. Parker Jr. (Nancy) and Benjamin Franklin Jr.; daughters, Vivienne Parker Ferrill (Benjamin) and Alicmarie Johnson, granddaughter Vivienne Johnson; Connie Madden, mother of granddaughter Jamie Wynn; great-granddaughter, Joy Gentry; Marion’s sisters, Alphonse Parker, Hattie Spears and Ramona Townsend. The loved ones she embraced as her own include the Gitta, Gethers, Spears and Shumate families, Bernice Thomas, Jackie Marsh, Winifred Gitta and Frances Patterson as well as a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

She now joins in eternal rest her beloved husband, Gardner E. Parker Sr., son, Wendell "Tony" Parker, her parents, Willie and Ella Townsend, and brothers, Willie (Febe) Townsend Jr., Hildred Townsend (Evelyn), Sylvester Townsend, and Floyd Townsend.

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 In order to honor Marion, please wear red or your fanciest hat. Red speaks to her passion, love, and faith.

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Her Celebration of Life will be held Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at Metropolitan Baptist Temple, officiated by Pastor Delano Sheffield. Visitation is from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.; Service from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.; Interment immediately following at  Leavenworth National Cemetery, Leavenworth, Kansas.

Rather than earthly flowers, the family requests that offerings be made to the Metropolitan Baptist Temple, 853 Washington Blvd, Kansas City, Kansas 66101, c/o the Scholarship Committee. (Please include Marion Parker in the memo section of your checks.)

Livestreaming will be available on YouTube at Metropolitan Baptist Church, Kansas City, KS.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Marion Louise Parker, please visit our floral store.