CONSTANCE RUTH PARKER

Constance (Connie) Ruth Parker, 81, died peacefully Dec. 29 at Providence Extended Care in Anchorage.

A long-time resident of Alaska and proud of it, she was born April 2, 1921, in Bonner's Ferry, Idaho to Edward and Etta Bishop. She married Charles Parker in 1940 and had four children. Charles passed away sadly a few months short of their 50th anniversary.

The family moved to Alaska in 1961, and she loved everything about it, especially the grass roots politics. She enjoyed cooking for family and friends, and worked for a time at Providence Hospital as a cook.

She worked hard in the Anchorage community registering voters, working on Anchorage Neighborhood Housing projects, earning awards for her work with the Bartlett Democratic Club, Anchorage Theater, UAA Health Fair, AARP, Chugach Electric Board and Cook Inlet Memorial Society. She was an active member of the Unitarian Fellowship.

Connie shared the later years of her life with Joel Kottke, a former Iditarod musher. He was a well respected member of the dog mushing community in Alaska, and she pitched right in with him contributing and helping wherever she could on mushing activities.

Her family said, "She was so proud of her children and grandchildren that she often embellished their accomplishments. When corrected she would give a wink and jokingly say 'Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.' Her sense of humor often surprised and delighted people. Her door was always open and the coffee was on the stove. She never met a stranger. Being Connie's friend was the same as being part of the family. She touched many lives."

She is survived by her children Tom Parker of Provo, Utah; Beryl Lee of Spokane, Wash.; Glen Parker of Anchorage and Helena Parker of Seattle, Wash.; grandchildren, Tracy, Leslie, Donald, Tommie Ann, Lisa, Jeremiah, Tom, Tonya, Travis, Jenna, Gavin, Betsy, Teddy and Tony; and 17 great-grandchildren. Her "adopted family" included her nephew Sam Sinclair, Angela Strahan and family, Dianne Campbell, Steve Loudermilk, Kim Santiago and endless others.

A celebration of Connie's life will be held Jan. 18 at 11 a.m. at the Unitarian Fellowship, 3201 Turnagain Street in Anchorage. Please send flowers or donations to the Unitarian Fellowship.