August 22, 1932 - May 31, 2023

Opal Williemae Payne Parker passed away from this life on May 31, 2023 at the age of 90.

Born August 22, 1932 in Madison County, Alabama, she was the youngest of four daughters born to Lizzie Elmore Martin and Hensley Clayebourne Payne.

Mrs. Parker’s father tragically died in a car accident when she was just two years old. She spent her formative years in a small three room home on McKinley Avenue in the Five Points area of Huntsville, sharing a bed with her mother and her sisters. Mrs. Parker attended Rison School and she enjoyed participating in many of the Rison School reunions over the years, reconnecting with friends from her youth.

In 1951, when she was 18 years old, her friend Bobby Coats introduced her to Ben Paul Parker. When asked if she thought he was handsome when she first met him, Mrs. Parker said, “Well, he had pretty teeth, but one was missing; but that made him that much cuter.” They had a brief courtship before marrying on May 29, 1951 in Iuka, Mississippi.

The Parkers were married for 61 years, until the death of Mr. Parker in January 2013. In March 1952, they welcomed their first child, a son, Steven Paul. In 1953, their second son, Stanley Jerome, was stillborn. Their third son, Alan Keith, arrived in 1956. Their daughter Alvairs, born in 1961, completed their family. They eventually made their home in Owens Cross Roads, raising their family and living a modest life. When they were older, after their children had left the home, they traveled the United States and Canada in a customized Ford Econoline van, often accompanied by Mrs. Parker’s sister, Ruby Brooks and her husband Marion. The foursome spent hours upon hours seeing the sights and always came home with stories to tell.

Mrs. Parker, or “Grandmamma” as she was known to her six grandchildren, was a night owl, probably because late at night was the only time she had to herself. She could almost always be found wearing an apron and piddling around in the kitchen. She was famous for her chocolate pie, strawberry shortcake, coconut cake, dressing and coleslaw, and for making you wash your hands before dinner in the utility room, not the kitchen sink. When she hosted the family for dinner, she rarely sat down, always making sure everyone had what they needed. When her granddaughters were young, she would often sing “I’m gonna wash that man right out of your hair,” from “South Pacific”, while giving them their nighttime baths. Her grandchildren enjoyed her dancing, game-playing, and staying up late at night with her when they slept over.

It could be argued that her greatest love was her cats, particularly Grizzly, who could do no wrong. In fact, it was Grizzly’s photo that hung on the wall in her home and greeted each of her guests as they walked through the door. A close second for her favorite would be Pete Parker, her youngest grandson, with whom she had a very special bond.

Mrs. Parker was a member of the Church of Christ and taught children’s Bible classes throughout the years. She attended the church at Glover’s Chapel, Big Cove (now Hampton Cove) and Owens Cross Roads. She rarely uttered a harsh word; when she did, it was for disciplinary reasons and only out of love.

She spent the majority of her working career at Fox Army Hospital on Redstone Arsenal where she formed a strong bond with her co-workers Cathy Collins and Kim Hengler and considered them an extension of her family. She also worked for a while in the old Huntsville Times Building on Greene Street and at the pharmacy in Five Points. She was an amateur draftsman and sketched many a floorplan of homes that would be built by her children.

Mrs. Parker was an excellent caregiver, not only to those younger than her, but also to those older. When Mrs. Parker’s mother, Ma Payne, was in her 90s, she came to live with the Parkers and Mrs. Parker watched over and cared for her until she died at the age of 105.

After the passing of Mr. Parker, Mrs. Parker’s youngest grandchild, Jessica Parker McVeigh and her family came to live with her and provided her with excellent care. In 2022, when it became increasingly difficult to tend to her in her home, Mrs. Parker was moved to Red Cedar Glen in Hendersonville, TN, and then to the memory care unit at The Hearth. It was there that she passed from this life into the loving arms of Jesus.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lizzie and Clayebourne, her three sisters, Evelyn, Jewel, and Ruby, her son Stanley, her daughter-in-law Debbie, and her husband Ben Paul. She is survived by her two sons, Steve and Keith (Sandra), her daughter Alvairs White, four granddaughters, Natasha Jo Parker, Brittany (Robert) Wallace, Ashley (Andy) Frizzell, and Jessica (Nathan) McVeigh, two grandsons, Justin Paul Parker and Pete Parker, and eight great-grandchildren, Sydney, Eden, Ezra, Parker, Elias, Shep, Abe, and Wren.

The family would like to thank the following people who helped with Mrs. Parker’s care over the past few years: Mrs. Kay Neal, Mrs. Peggy Harris, Ms. Lena Bradford and Ms. Timmy Lawrence, as well as the staff and nurses at Red Cedar Glen and The Hearth for the exceptional love and attention shown to Mrs. Parker in her final months.

Visitation for Mrs. Parker will be Thursday 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM at New Hope Funeral Home in New Hope, Alabama. Funeral services will be conducted at New Hope Funeral Home Chapel on Friday at 10:00 AM. Interment will follow at Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville.

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