Submitted by: Dan Rich

Carlean Parker

May 18, 1929 - July 19, 2001

South Bend Tribune 7/23/2001

Carlean Parker was born May 18, 1929 in Lexington, Mississippi, to Rev. John and Mammie Richmond. She was preceded in death by her father and mother and three brothers. She was baptized at an early age, at Bedford United Methodist Church under the leadership of John W. Richmond in Duckhill, Mississippi.

On February 29, 1946, she married Joe T. Parker. To this union five children were born. She moved to South Bend in 1957. In 1958 she joined Laymen Chapel CME Church. Mrs. Parker was a member of the Senior choir, Mass choir, President of the Stewardess Board, Lay Leader, Sunday School Superintendent/Sunday School teacher, and a chairperson of Kitchen Committee, Missionary. She was the first vice president of the Gary District Lay Council and member of the District Stewardess Board. Mrs. Parker graduated from I.U.S.B. with a degree in Early Childhood Development, she was one of the first, original Head Start teachers locally. Mrs. Parker retired after 28 years.

Surviving are three daughters, Dora Parker Moore of South Bend, Vanessa Parker Angel of Colorado Springs, and Evelyn Parker; and two sons, Thomas (Barbara) Parker of Vallejo, Calif., and Bennett (Anna) Parker of Elk Grove, Calif. Also surviving are three sisters, Mary McIntosh of St. Louis, Mo., Dorothy Byas of Los Angeles, Calif., and Beverly (Walter) Blockson of South Bend; and a brother, John W. Richmond, Jr. of St. Louis, Mo. Eleven grandchildren, Ron Moore, Crystal Moore, Nathanaiel (Janae) Angel II, Angela Angel, Everett Robinson, Sable Breathett, Joya Moore, Janel Gage, Brian Parker, Benjamin Parker and Bradley Parker. Three great-grandchildren, Antonia Angel, Natrianna Angel and Shauronn Moore. Two special cousins, Ruth (George) Pipus of Springfield, Ill., and Inel (John) Are of Cleveland, Ohio. Eleven nieces and fourteen nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

Services for Carlean B. Parker will be Wednesday, July 25, 2001, at Laymen Chapel CME Church, 303 S. Kenmore, South Bend. Visitation will be at noon, funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Burial will follow funeral services at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. Clark-O'Neal Funeral Home has been entrusted with funeral arrangements.