Helen Cecelia Parker

Helen Cecelia Parker: 12/1/48 – 10/21/2025
Helen Cecelia Parker, 76, of Traverse City, passed away peacefully at Munson Medical Center on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025, after a long battle against Multiple Sclerosis. Her loving husband of 47 years, Alan Robert Parker, was at her side, holding her hand, comforting her during her final moments.

Helen was born on Dec. 1, 1948, in Covina, California, the third child of Natalie and Albert Hajjar.

She grew up in an era when the Los Angeles area was still abundant with orange groves and small family farms. Helen fondly remembered her days there, seeking out hens eggs and picking fresh oranges to snack on.

Not much of a team sport player as a youngster, Helen took pride in dominating the tetherball games at her elementary school. Her closest friend and constant companion in those California days was Sherry Morris, most recently of Arizona. It was a warm friendship that would last throughout Helen's life, though they rarely saw each other in person in latter years.

Helen had a handful of close longtime friends who supported her and sustained her during trying times and her 50-year struggle with MS. But she never conceded an inch to the debilitating disease.

Her father's work resulted in the family moving to Livonia Michigan while Helen was still in elementary school. It was in Livonia where Helen met one of her favorite people, Sandy Lee (Haddad) Graves, a backyard neighbor. The two would gather at their shared back fence and talk for hours about all sorts of subjects, music, politics, their shared Lebanese heritage and more. Sandy's career took her to Olympia, Washington, but they stayed connected for more than half a century thanks to technology. The "back fence talks" were often three-hour phone calls that meant so much to Helen.

After graduating from Franklin High School in 1966, Helen attended Schoolcraft Community College, then beauty school where she was an outstanding student. That led to a career as a popular hair stylist. It was during these years that Helen met another beloved person in her life, Patricia Fitzgerald, another talented stylist. At her father's urging, Helen eventually opened her own salon, The Hair Saloon, in downtown Farmington Michigan.

Helen married the love of her life, "Al", on Aug. 26, 1978 at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Livonia. They honeymooned in rural Ontario, enjoying several Shakespeare plays at Stratford (Julius Caesar was her favorite) and sharing meals at quaint Kitchener eateries. They would happily return to Stratford many times over the years, often taking a grandson along to share The Bard's wit and wisdom.

In 1979, Helen, Alan and their children Anna Natalie Parker and Scott Michael Parker moved from Novi, Michigan to a refurbished century-old farm house rural Kalkaska County.

Over the next 17 years it was the scene of many warm family gatherings, holiday celebrations and memory-making episodes. In time, four great dogs roamed the acreage, Argus, Bear, Azusa and Yancey. All were spoiled by Helen. Aunts, uncles, cousins and assorted kin would gather for bonfires and cookouts at the "big gray house on Plum Valley Road." Helen's health was still strong and in later years, she often called "the farmhouse years" among the happiest of her life.

Helen was a lifelong Lutheran and often turned to her many bibles during trying times. She knew many classic hymns by heart and was an active member of church music committees over the years.

When Anna and Scott became adults and started their own families, Helen and Al moved to Traverse City, where he worked as a reporter and editor for the Traverse City Record-Eagle, and later for Munson Healthcare. He retired in 2005 to be her full-time caregiver.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents Natalie and Albert Hajjar, a brother Thomas Hajjar, a sister Sharon (Larry) Shields and a beloved granddaughter Katherine Parker.

In addition to Al, Helen is survived by Anna Parker, of Richmond, Texas, Scott (Lisa) Parker of East Lansing, Michigan, sisters Natalie Hajjar and Susan Hajjar both of Traverse City Michigan and brother Norman (Lorraine) Hajjar of Thousand Oaks, California, along with five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and loving friends.

A celebration of Helen's life will take place at 1 p.m. on Sunday, November 23,2025 at Feast of Victory Lutheran Church in Acme, Michigan. It will be followed by a memorial service at 2 p.m. and a coffee hour.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, Covell-Traverse City Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.

www.beaconfh.com