Fay Parker

Fay Snow Parker was born February 21, 1925 to James Elbert and Lucina Snow Parker, one of 11 children, at the family dairy farm and homestead in Joseph, Utah (10 miles southwest of Richfield, Utah).  At 18 he was drafted in the Army in WWII and served 27 months in the South Pacific and joined forces in the occupation of Japan in Nagoya.

Shortly after his return he served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Central States Mission for two years.

He attended Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah graduating as a teacher in Elementary Education.  After teaching 5 years he made a career change into social work for Utah State Social Services where he worked for 27 years.  While compassionate, he was always seeking to help people become independent.

Fay married the love of his life, Doris Lindsay, in 1953 on February 14, Valentine’s Day, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.  They had eight children, 5 girls and 3 boys; had 24 grandchildren; and have 35 great-grandchildren and counting.

Fay’s grew up hunting pheasants and rabbits, he loved nature, especially birds and their calls and music.   He was an enthusiast fan of sports, and especially BYU.  He was a member of the Cougar Club for many years. He had a great interest in people and their lives.  He compiled more than 120 brief biographies of the people that visited the Orem Senior Center as well as putting on a monthly program and sharing jokes and music, mainly playing the harmonica.  His posterity never tired of the songs he would play at family gatherings.

Fay has always been a patriot.  He loved watching movies and reading about the WWII period.  A highlight for him was to ride in a WWII B-17 airplane in 2012.  He had a great love for the flag “old Glory” and his country.  He actively participated in the political process, including writing congressmen and writing letters to the editor at the Daily Herald.  He never missed the opportunity to cast his vote at election time. He had a 30 foot pole in front of his Orem house and now his flag pole has “Old Glory” flying in his honor at his childhood home in Joseph.

He was a faithful member of the Church serving in many callings including serving as an ordinance worker with his wife in the Provo Temple for 7 years.  He had a strong testimony of the gospel and didn’t miss an opportunity to share it with others.

He is survived by his children Kimball (Jill) Parker, Marcia (Bill) Keach, Lori (Steve) Diamond, Lindsay (Vicki) Parker, Rodger (Jane) Parker, and Starr (Mike) Bamgartner.  His three sisters Melba Larsen, Janice Jeffs and Joyce Shipp are the remaining siblings of eleven brothers and sisters.  His cousin, Virgil Parker, born 19 days apart, is one of the few remaining of his era from Joseph, Utah.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris, by his parents, 7 siblings, and two daughters, Marie and Sara Lu.

Even up to the day before his death he played his harmonica at breakfast for the residents at Canyon Breeze Senior Living in Orem where he lived for nearly 4 years.  He brought a lot of joy through his music which he believed was a gift from God.  He told others that each person has a gift and encouraged everyone to find it and share with others.  He was a giving person and a man of honor.  He wanted to share his gifts to the end.  He was greatly loved and will be missed.

The funeral will be held at the LDS church at 135 E 2000 S, Orem on Thurs, Feb 23 at 11 a.m. A viewing will be there from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. the same day and the night before at Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary at 495 S. State St., Orem, UT from 6-8 p.m. Burial will be in the Heber City Cemetery.

Condolences may be left for the family here on this site.