Robert "Bob" Michael Parker, 71, went to be with our Lord on Wednesday, October 19, 2022 at his home in Springdale, Arkansas.   Bob was born in Louisville, Kentucky on December 15, 1950 to Reverend Robert A. and Thelma Miller Parker, the first of five siblings.  Bob was an extraordinary person who was loved and admired by all. As the son of a Baptist minister, Bob lived in several different communities in Arkansas; Decatur, North Little Rock, Camden, and Batesville, he never met a stranger and never forgot a face.  He graduated from Camden Fairview High School in 1969 and attended the University of Arkansas where he received a Bachelor of Elementary Education Degree in 1973.

Bob's first teaching position was at Floral Elementary, where he taught 6 ^th grade, drove the basketball bus to away games, and kept the score clock at home games. He moved to Jonesboro to complete his Masters' Degree in Educational Administration and taught at Weiner Elementary for a year.  For the next six years, he was a teacher, peewee basketball coach, score clock keeper, and bus driver (basketball bus as well as a regular bus route) at Cushman Elementary.  In the fall of 1985, he was hired as a 6 grade teacher at Southside Elementary where he would finish his career.  He was the girls' peewee basketball coach as well as the summer T-ball/baseball coach for peewees.  He was a regular bus driver and also drove the pep squad bus for the cheerleaders and drill teams.  He was the Elementary assistant principal and then the principal in his last few years at Southside. Bob's love for his students was evident in the way he treated them and the way they loved him.  He was never happier than when he was working with his "kids".  In 1995, his health forced him to retire from teaching and he became a Southside School Board Member for the next ten years.

In his later years, his greatest joy was spending time with his family, taking multiple trips on Carnival Cruise ships, playing board games with his grandchildren, going to their activities, and playing Spades or Rummikub.  Bob loved to read, listen to audio books, watch television (especially John Wayne movies and the History Channel), crochet, do counted cross stitch and diamond dot pictures, and talk to people about Jesus.  As such, we know he is celebrating and praising his Jesus and enjoying seeing all his friends and family who were awaiting his arrival in Heaven.

Bob was President of the White River Kiwanis (1999-2001), Lt. Governor of the MO-AR District (2001-2002) and was awarded the Kiwanis Highest Honor when he was presented with a Hixson in June, 2002. He was selected to represent the Club and the District at the International Kiwanis Convention in New Orleans in 2002.  His heart was in service to others.

He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Jean Brown Parker, his daughter (and the light of his life) Jami Marie Forrester and her husband Greg, and his two grandchildren, Parker EvaMarie Forrester and Wyatt Scott Forrester.  Bob's surviving siblings are David (Susan) Parker, Kathryn (Scott) Blackwell, Suzanne (Erby) Burgess, and Ellis (Mona) Parker.  He was preceded in death by his parents, his father and mother-in-law, Henry & Marie Brown, and his grandparents, Eugene & Grace Parker and George & Evelyn Miller.

A visitation with family has been scheduled in Springdale at Calvary Fre e Will Baptist Church on Sunday, October 23 from 1:00 to 3:00 PM.  Contact number for information:  479 427 6550

A memorial service will be 6:30 PM Thursday, October 27, at First Baptist Church in Batesville, Arkansas.  There will be a time of visitation with the family following the service.   Bob will be buried at Pleasant Valley Cemetery near Cushman, Arkansas.

Memorials may be made to the charity/organization of choice.