Earl D. Parker, age 86, of Sturgis, passed away early Tuesday morning, January 28, 2025, at Ascension Borgess Hospital in Kalamazoo.
He was born December 2, 1938, at the family home in Sturgis, son of the late Louis F. and Irene Carrie (Pagels) Parker.
Earl was a lifelong Sturgis resident and graduate of Sturgis High School with the class of 1957.
On October 27, 1963, he married Karen Grant in White Pigeon.
Nearly all his full-time working life was involved in farming. He retired from dairy farming in 1988 and continued agriculture farming for several years. Being one not to sit around following his retirement he accepted a position with Walmart where he worked for another 21 years.
He enjoyed reading, gardening (like his mother), working on his computer, and seemed to always have an electronic project he was working on. Earl loved his dogs and talking to people and never met a stranger.
Earl is survived by his loving and dedicated wife of nearly 62 years: Karen; daughter: Julie Parker Stanfield of Portage; sons: Rick (Dawn) Parker of Three Rivers and Michael Parker of Wilkinson, Indiana; grandchildren: Kevin, Lexi, Sierra, Austin, Larissa, Annamarie, Bella, Tori and Lainee; four great grandchildren and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his parents, son-in-law: Tom Stanfield; great grandson: Grayson and brother: John Parker.
The family will receive friends from 1:00 to 2:30 P.M. Saturday, February 1st at the Hackman Chapel of Hackman Family Funeral Homes, 114 S. Nottawa St. in Sturgis. A graveside service and interment will be held Saturday at 3:00 at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Sturgis. The Rev. Rodger Moyer will officiate.
Memorial donations would be appreciated to St, Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
We encourage relatives and friends to share memories and condolences at www.hackmanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.