Eva Jeannette Parker, 84

Eva Jeannette Parker, 84, of Kalispell, a retired nurse and Army veteran, died Thursday morning, Feb. 24, 2005, at the Montana Veterans Home following a courageous battle with Lou Gehrig's disease.

Private services will be held and a gathering of friends will take place at a later date.

Her survivors include her brother, Wes Parker and wife, Elaine, of Pahrump, Nev.; nephew, Jim Parker and wife, Ariel, of Whitefish; niece, Sandy Rowe of Beatty, Nev.; and nephew, Ralph Parker and wife, Kathy, of The Colony, Texas. Also special to her were her great-nieces and nephew, Ashley Stern, Jaimye Thompson, Lauren Parker and John Parker; and her two great-greats, Jason Thompson and Sylvia Stern. She also leaves special friends Luanne and J.D. Metcalf, Aila West and Marguerite Dempsey.

Jeannette was born Jan. 3, 1921, in Missoula, to George and Susie Parker. She attended school in Missoula and Whitefish, graduating in 1939. She graduated from St. James Hospital School of Nursing in Butte, in 1943, and enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps later that year.

She later worked as a nurse in Seattle, Spokane and Colorado. In 1954, she re-enlisted and was sent to Japan, where she met the love of her life, William H. Parker. They married there in February, 1956. After living in Japan, the couple also lived in Germany and Washington, D.C.

Upon retirement, they settled in Helena, and later moved to Flathead Lake, near Elmo, where they enjoyed many happy years together.

Jeannette loved to work with her hands and kept very busy sewing, knitting, spinning, weaving, quilting, and gardening. She loved to cook and always had something ready to feed company that would stop by.

Jeannette was a member of St. Matthew's Catholic Church, Alpine Weavers and Spinners, and the DAV Auxiliary. She and Bill were also avid members of Good Sam and enjoyed many trips with that group as well.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and her husband, Bill, who passed away on Sept. 15, 1993.

As her health began to fail she moved to a condo in Kalispell. Her creative energy and love of life brought much joy to her entire family, and she will be greatly missed.

The family suggests memorials to the ALS Foundation or the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.

Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish is in charge of the arrangements.