Willie James Parker, Jr.

WILLIE ATTENDED FESSENDEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND GRADUATED FROM NORTH MARION HIGH SCHOOL, CLASS OF 1977. WILLIE WAS A MEMBER OF BETHLEHEM MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH WHERE HE WAS ACTIVE IN SUNDAY SCHOOL, AND THE YOUTH CHOIR.

AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL, WILLIE JOINED THE UNITED STATES ARMY AND SERVED FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 YEARS. DURING HIS TIME OF SERVICE, HE SERVED AS AN EQUIPMENT OPERATOR AND AS PATROL FOR THE MILITARY POLICE. HE WAS AWARDED VARIOUS MEDALS AND RIBBONS, SUCH AS: THE GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, ARMY SERVICE RIBBON, OVERSEAS SERVICE RIBBON, EXPERT HAND GRENADE BADGE, THE PISTOL MARKMAN BADGE, AND SHARPSHOOTER BADGE RIFLEMAN. WILLIE RETURNED TO OCALA, FL AFTER RECEIVING AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE FROM THE U.S. ARMY.

WILLIE HAD AN EXTRAORDINARY KNACK FOR TAKING THINGS APART AND THEN REBUILDING THEM. HIS NATURAL CURIOSITY FOR HOW THINGS WORKED GREW FROM PLAYING WITH BUILDING BLOCKS, HOT ROD CARS AND OTHER MECHANICAL TOYS. HE WAS THE “GO TO GUY” FOR HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS: HELPING THEM MEND FENCES, REPAIR CARS, OR MAKE HOME IMPROVEMENTS. HE WOULD DESCRIBE THIS TALENT AS A “GIFT FROM GOD.”

AT THE TIME OF HIS PASSING, WILLIE WAS EMPLOYED BY OLD PEAR TREE FARMS.

WILLIE LEAVES TO CHERISH HIS MEMORIES, HIS MOTHER, THELMA, WHO LOVED HIM DEARLY. HIS CHILDREN; QUTWANTA JAMES HONOR, CHRISTOPHER GADSON, AND C.J. CALTON. GRANDCHILDREN; MALAIKA, JAMIAH, ARIANNA, IDA, AND TYSON. FOUR SISTERS; TRACY PARKER, DIANA JONES, JANICE TAYLOR, AND PAULA MILLER. ONE BROTHER; O.C. (DIANE) PARKER. THREE GOD SISTERS; LINDA WARD, JANICE (DAVID) PANKEY, ALFREDA (FREDRIC) LEE. TWO GOD BROTHERS; JOHNNIE BLUNT, OTIS LENARD (MARGORIE) WARD AND A HOST OF NIECES, NEPHEWS, COUSINS AND DEVOTED FRIENDS.