Jacqueline Tippett Parker

1939 - 2020

Jacqueline (Jackie) Tippett Parker, 81, died on July 23 in East Wenatchee, WA, after an eight-month battle with lung cancer.

She is survived by her husband William Parker, a retired marine officer and pilot; her daughter Maureen Jones of Arlington, WA; her son-in-law Rob Jones; her son Michael McGinty of Wenatchee, WA; and three grand-sons Tyler, Ryan and Kyle Jones.

Jackie died at home with Bill, Maureen, Rob and a Hospice representative at her side. Jackie was born April 1, 1939 in Greenfield, MA to Martin and Lillian Hubbard Tippett who came to Brattleboro when Jackie was very young.

Jackie grew up in Brattleboro, attending grades 1-12 there. In high school she was known for her sense of humor and was voted the best dressed senior girl. After graduation from Brattleboro High School in 1957, Jackie attended the Mary Hitchcock Hospital School of Nursing. In 1960, she graduated with a degree in psychiatric nursing. She then went to California to begin her nursing career. There Jackie met her first husband Bertram M. McGinty, whom she married on Aug 24, 1963 in Marin County, California. After their marriage Jackie and Bert went to Washington State where she continued her nursing career working in hospitals in Bellevue, WA. Bert died on July 1, 1982.

Jackie and Bill were married on July 20, 1985 in Issaquah, WA. They lived in Bellingham, WA and "wintered" in Prescott, AZ. Jackie continued her nursing and Bill worked at businesses in the Bellingham area. Jackie and Bill moved to East Wenatchee where they had a house built overlooking the Columbia River. While the Parkers lived in E. Wenatchee, Jackie, who had retired from nursing, took a job interviewing candidates for long-term care insurance. This job took her around parts of the state east of the Cascades. She once drove 175 miles in a single day to interview a candidate.

Jackie and Bill attended the BHS class of 1957's 50th reunion in 2007, driving across country in a motor home with their dog Gertie and staying at various camp sites. They brought back four gallons of maple syrup from the Thurber Family Farm on Ames Hill Rd in West Brattleboro. From Brattleboro, they went to Maine where they hit a high spot and damaged the undercarriage of their vehicle. After it was repaired for only $80, they turned south, stopping in Vienna, VA to visit to visit a classmate of Jackie's. After that Bill and Jackie continued south and then west, finally getting back to Washington State. Jackie and Bill covered over 9000 miles on that trip.

They visited Brattleboro again in 2011 during foliage season. A classmate showed them some colorful vistas, covered bridges, and some of those infamous "back roads."

There will be a family gathering in E. Wenatchee later this year to celebrate Jackie's life. Jackie will be interred with Bill at a later date in a National Cemetery near Seattle.