Peggy Anne Jones Parker

1934 - 2025

Peggy was born March 20, 1934 in Haddam, Kansas. She grew up on a farm outside of Talmo, Kansas. Peggy lived a simple life during the Great Depression. She loved her Kansas roots: sunflowers, windmills, wheat fields and her KU Jayhawks.
She went to a one-room school with grades 1-8 with nine students. In eighth grade, she moved to a farm in Haddam, Kansas where she attended Haddam Rural High School from 1947-1951. She was in the choir, glee club, cheerleader, and on the spelling team in which she won numerous competitions. She was the valedictorian of her graduating class.
She received a scholarship to attend the University of Kansas, where she earned her degree in education in 1955. She was so proud of her diploma. She was president of her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi.
During her years at KU, she became an avid KU basketball fan. She attended every home game and loved to watch the Jayhawks play. Rock Chalk Jayhawk. March Madness was a very special event for her. She loved her basketball. She was given a lifetime pass to Littleton High School Basketball games as she would go and watch them even if she did not know anyone playing.
During her student teaching in Plainville, Kansas, Peggy met the love of her life, Joseph Parker. They were married on June 24, 1956 in Belleville, Kansas. They lived in Wichita and Houston before moving to Littleton, Colorado.
Peggy was known as a quiet person who got a lot done. She was a volunteer extraordinaire, always putting others before herself. She received many awards for her community service, including the Service to Mankind Award by the Highline Sertoma Club from 1989 to 1990. She also got the Freedom Day Award for her great community service, which the Founding Fathers wanted. On November 11, 1987, Peggy Parker Day was declared. She won the Minori Yasui Award for her hard work and service as a volunteer in 1997. In 1998, the Littleton Independent named her Citizen of the Year for her outstanding service in the Littleton area.
She was on the Board of Directors for Interfaith Task Force, a non-profit organization that assists low-income families for six years. She taught cooking classes for the HeadStart program to make healthy, nutritious, low priced meals for families.
She was the chairperson of the Arapahoe County Santa Shop for many years, making sure low income families had toys for their children at Christmas. This was a year-round commitment and she made sure all the kids had toys for Christmas.
Peggy was most proud of her family. She attended every game, event and graduation of her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. She always wanted to know what everyone was doing. She was the heart of our homes, taught us all to be kind, help others and most of all, SMILE. She always said, ""kindness matters and if you cannot say something nice, then don't say it at all."" She loved the phrase ""Stay Calm and Carry On.""
Her hobbies include sewing, teaching, Santa Claus Shop, bingo, reading Nicholas Sparks, listening to Kenny Rogers and John Denver, and of course, her grandkids and great-grandkids.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph, son John; her parents Vivian and Chalon Jones and her brother Carroll Jones.
She is survived by her daughters Jan (Don) Walker, Jill Parker (Jill Bendel), Joy Schaefer Schaefer (John Quarton), her grandkids Stephani (Billy) Gaskins, Vanessa (Mike) Zelling, Chelsea (Josh) Hug, and Ryan Schaefer and two great-grandchildren Liam Gaskins and Wyatt Zelling; numerous nieces and nephews and her cat Zoey. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Jean Parker, her best friend of 78 years, Anita Childerston, and all her special friends at StoneCreek of Littleton.
A special thanks to StoneCreek of Littleton Assisted Living Facility and Bloom Hospice for all that was done at her end of life. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. Her positive attitude and warm smile brought joy to everyone around her. Her legacy of compassion and selflessness will forever guide us.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Arapahoe Santa Shop, P.O. Box 2004, Littleton, CO 80161.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.