Joanne Ruth Parker

1941 - 2025

Joanne Ruth Parker
September 15, 1941 - September 29, 2025
Joanne was born on September 15, 1941 to Henry and Ruth Mackdanz, in New Ulm, MN and peacefully passed away from lung cancer on September 29, 2025, with her family by her side.
When Joanne was young, her parents saved up their gas ration stamps to make the move from Minnesota to Cashmere, WA to be close to family. Joanne graduated from Cashmere High school in 1959 and then she attended dental assisting school in Seattle, WA. She came back to Cashmere and worked as a dental assistant in Wenatchee. On February 9, 1962, she married the love of her life, James (Jim) Parker and celebrated nearly 60 years of marriage before he passed away in December of 2021. They welcomed their first daughter, Kimberly in 1963 and their second daughter, Kristen, in 1965. After their daughters were born, Joanne stayed home to care for them until they were in school. In 1971, she and Jim bought his family's business, The American Shoe Shop, from Jim's father where she worked alongside Jim, helping customers, repairing shoes and keeping the books until they sold the business in 1996. After retiring, she and Jim spent half of most weeks at their favorite spot, their cabin in Plain, WA. There she loved to plant trees, mow the beach and enjoy the river and the peaceful surroundings with a good puzzle or book. More recently, one of her favorite activities was following her family on the Find My Friends app as they traveled and acting as a remote tour guide, describing to them what they were passing as they talked on the phone. Joanne was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who was always there to support her family in any way she could.
Joanne will be lovingly remembered and missed by many. We will miss her welcoming smile; big hugs and the holidays will not be the same without her famous party mix and "gonnies" (cinnamon rolls). Joanne is survived by her daughters, Kim (Mark) Hattrup, and Kris (Brian) Vickery; grandchildren: Amber (Phil) Imhof, Nate (Tisha) Gowing, Jayme Hattrup, and Brooklyn Vickery; great-grandchildren: Rhylynn, Madeline, Landon, Harvey, and Eugene; her "son by choice", Josh Tarr and his family; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends that she loved.
We would like to say thank you to all of those that cared for her over the last year of her life, including Dr. Voshtina and Cancer Center Staff and the entire staff at Blossom Valley who cared for her and made her time there feel like home.
Every year Joanne purchased the fundraising T-shirts to help support the wildland firefighters. The family respectfully requests in lieu of flowers, to honor Joanne, that any donations be made in her name to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, 2393 West Airport Way, Boise, ID, 83705, wffoundation.org or the charity of your choice.
At Joanne's request there will be no public service. A private service will be held for her and Jim at a later date.