Douglas Harold Parker

Douglas Harold Parker, 79 of Castle Rock, WA passed on just before 2PM on March 11, 2023 following a brave fight against Alzheimer's. His beloved wife Joy Parker, his cherished son Robert, and adored daughters by marriage Tiffany Parker & Nonie Bonham were with him during his 4 day final battle with pneumonia.

He follows his deceased Father and Mother, Richard Booth Parker and Margery Rose Parker, and Sister Donna Parker and is survived by 6 siblings David, James, Mark, Patricia, Susan, Robert, with multiple nephews and nieces all dearly loved. He was proud of his treasured grandchildren, Ashlynn and Kysen and granddaughters by marriage Shelby and Brielle.

Douglas was known by all who knew him to have a gentle soul and loving heart. His father was a career Army Officer, so his childhood was spent in Germany, Japan and several Army bases across

the USA. He spent his High School years outside of Atlanta Ga. In his senor year, Douglas was the 1960 Georgia Class A High School 880 ( 1/2 mile) champion and won a track scholarship to attend Mississippi State University. There he earned a degree in Physical Education.

After graduation Doug traveled to California with his college buddies. On the day he planned to drive back East he stopped for his mail and found his draft notice. Doug served in the US Army during the Vietnam war era as a 1st Lieutenant in the Artillery Brigade. He chose to resign his commission instead of being promoted to Captain He was discharged in 1969 and returned home to Georgia.

Then once again he found his way to California. He taught school until 1971 then left that profession and accepted a position as Special Delivery Carrier with the USPS. In 1974 he moved to Northern Florida with his first wife Vicki and her daughters, where he worked as an EMT and firefighter for the Jackson County Fire Department. It was there in September 1977 that his son Robert was born. Then in 1978 he drove once again across the country back to California. To work with the Danville and Antioch Post Offices. Until in 1981, when Doug was offered a job by a close friend from college and moved to Mississippi to work in the Oil fields there. This opportunity was not what he had hoped and in 1982 his final trip across our continent, he moved back to California. That resulted in the beginning of his employment with the Alamo office of the USPS , where he remained until his retirement. It was during this time he met and married his wife Joy in 1991.

During this time he was honored for his bravery by Regional Postal Officials, the Alamo Fire Department and Alamo Sheriff's Department for risking his own life to control a brush fire threatening a home in the Country Club, while on his route.

DOUGLAS H PARKER DAY IN ALAMO September 28th, 2003

When Douglas saw the smoke he had the children call 911, and got them out of the house. He took the garden hose up to the blaze..." to the point where he was engulfed in smoke and the children could not see him". After 10 minutes, when the Fire Dept. pulled up "They couldn't believe that the fire hadn't reached the fence or the house." Doug had been able to keep the flames from reaching a large tree growing over the house. He knew from his firefighting days that the heat from fire is enough to catch the exposed building and wooden fence ablaze.

After retiring Doug and Joy sold the 1800's farm house they refurbished and moved into a 1922 Craftsman home in Washington state. Doug enjoyed volunteering at the local historical museum/exhibit hall. He was elected, President and worked there tirelessly until it closed it's doors.

His daughter Tiffany said it best, "It's hard to fit a full, beautiful lifetime into a paragraph or two. Those of us lucky enough to have known him already know the impact he had on everyone around him.