Earl Parker

Earl Parker, 92, of Brainerd, died Friday, March 27, 2009 at Bethany Good Samaritan Village in Brainerd, MN surrounded by his family. Services for Earl will be 11 AM, Monday, March 30 at the Brenny Funeral Chapel in Baxter with Pastor Lilja Behr officiating. Friends are welcome to gather Sunday afternoon from 2-4 PM and one hour prior to services at the funeral chapel. Graveside services will be held Tuesday, March 31 near Kerrick, MN.
Earl Parker was born on August 30, 1916, in Glidden, IA, the son of David and Myrtle Parker. He graduated from Askov High School. On September 19, 1937, he was united in marriage to Lorayne Rowe in Kerrick, MN. In 1941 the family moved to Washington State where he worked as a welder. In 1944 they moved back to Kerrick and in 1947 to Worthington, MN, where he worked as a mechanic for several businesses before opening his own shop in Okabena in 1952. He also drove school bus for 25 years while they lived in Okabena. In 1977 they moved to the Brainerd Lakes area and purchased the Suntan Beach Resort operating it until 1982 when they purchased the Char Jon Resort near Nisswa. Earl also worked as a maintenance man for a Lutheran Social Services group home for several years. Earl loved the Lord and he loved his family, they were the most important things in his life. He was always busy doing or fixing something. There was nothing he couldn't fix. He also enjoyed outdoor activities, fishing, hunting, snowmobiling, and just being out in nature.

He was preceded in death by his parents, David and Myrtle; his wife, Lorayne in 1999; infant son in 1939; grandchildren, Earl Maher and Teresa Worden; 3 brothers; 2 sisters; and son-in-law, Everett Simpson. Earl will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered by his children; Joan Maher of Brainerd, Phyllis and Roger Worden of Okabena, MN, and Jeanette Simpson of Le Center, MN; 6 grandchildren; 13 great grandchildren; and 14, great, great grandchildren.