Audrey Parker

1915 - 2008

Audrey Parker's long life came to a close Monday, Feb. 11, 2008, at the Carriage Inn of Panama City, Fla.

Audrey was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Christmas Day, 1915. She was preceded in death by her parents, Maria and Leicester deLisser; sisters, Beatrice Lewers and Evelyn Gallagher; nephew, John N. Gallagher; her first husband, Lawrence L. Mason of Hempstead, N.Y. (died 1950); second husband, Dr. M.F. Parker of Panama City, Fla. (died 1979); and many beloved pets, most of them strays that found a welcome mat at her door.

Audrey is survived by her attentive niece, Barbara Lewers, a dedicated Manhattanite; beloved nephew, William L. Gallagher and wife, Susan, and children, Freya of Maine, Katherine Wright Payne of Maryland; and Michael Gallagher of New Hampshire. She also is survived by her beloved nephew, William J. Lewers III and wife, Mary, of Virginia, and children, Mark and John; her faithful and longtime helper, Lana Corley; and by the many friends she considered young if they had not yet reached 80 and whose continued attention added spark to her days. Audrey also will be missed by Lucky, a Norwegian Forest cat (of course, a stray), who, despite the heavy coat inherited from his ancestors, finds Northwest Florida a fine place to live.

Audrey grew up on Long Island, N.Y. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Adelphi College, Garden City, N.Y., in 1937 and a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Columbia University-Presbyterian Hospital in 1953. Audrey moved from New York to Panama City, Fla., in 1960, where, until her marriage to Dr. M.F. Parker in 1962, she was self-employed as a private duty nurse at Bay Memorial and Lisenby hospitals.

Following marriage to Dr. Parker, she busied herself with diverse volunteer activities. Audrey was a founding member and first secretary of the Gulf Coast Community College Foundation, a founding member of the league of Women Voters, a member of the Bay County Public Library Literacy Program and taught English as a second language. Audrey served as president of the Bay County Medical Auxiliary (an organization of doctors' spouses), President of the Bay County Audubon Society and was a founding member and charter board member of the Bay County Conservancy.

In 1989, Audrey was appointed to the St. Andrews Visioning Committee, a first step toward the rejuvenation of the St. Andrews area. In 2000, at age 85, Audrey became a census taker and received her first employment check from Uncle Sam. She received the Land Conservationist of the Year Award in 2000 from the Florida Wildlife Association, and in 2007, the Bay County Audubon Society presented her with a Lifetime of Environmental Action award. In 2007, Audrey self-published a book of essays, written while in her 80s, entitled "Ninety: Stick Around and You'll Get There." All proceeds from sales of the book go to the Bay County Conservancy.

To honor Audrey, the family requests that donations be made to the Bay County Conservancy, a local nonprofit land trust dedicated to the preservation of endangered land in Northwest Florida (P.O. Box 1122, Panama City, FL 32402), or to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Bay County (P.O. Box 15308, Panama City, FL 32402). Audrey Parker will be cremated. Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008, at The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 1410 Airport Road, Panama City, FL 32405.

Wilson Funeral Home
Family Owned Since 1911
Panama City, Fla.
785-5272 214 Airport Road