Parker – Lyle Charles Parker, beloved husband of Gail Parker, passed away March 24th just eight days before his 95th birthday. Lyle was predeceased by his parents Russell and Myrtle Parker; four siblings, Stanley, Leonard (infant), Norman and Velma Fairbanks; his son Gordon and daughter Norma. He is survived by his loving wife Gail and nine children and three step children; Leonard (Susan), LaRee (Colin Nilsson), Vern, Connie (Bruce Orr), Marion, Patricia (Lloyd Seely), Teresa (David Price), Deanne (Byron Nalder), Linda (Darrell Osmond), Terry Swanson, Kevin (Judy) Swanson and Penny (David Hiebert) and special family friend Linda McKinstry. He is also survived by two sisters, Edna Hardy, Noreen Sulz Hansen, 52 grandchildren, 105 great grandchildren, 3 great-great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Lyle was born in the family home at Orton, Alberta on April 1st 1919; the second child in a family of 7. He spent a carefree childhood, hunting, fishing, snaring gophers, trapping, exploring, swimming in the Belly River and horseback riding with his many childhood friends. He also began to garden at a very young age and this passion was evident in his beautiful gardens. Following ten years of education, Lyle began farming full time on the family farm and working for relatives on the threshing crews. This began his lifelong love affair with farming. On April 1st 1937, at the age of 18, Lyle and his father accompanied by a team of horses and a few pieces of horse drawn farm equipment arrived in Rosemary by train to begin a new farming operation. After two years of farming with horses, Lyle and his brother Stanley bought the first rubber tired tractor in Rosemary. This proved to be a great attraction as people couldn’t believe that rubber tires could actually pull without slipping. For a number of years this John Deere D was towed by a pickup truck between Rosemary and Orton, Alberta to put the crop in there. Life was not all work however as there were many young people in the area who gathered together for social activities such as swimming, picnicking, berry picking, trips to Dinosaur Park and ice cream making. It was at this time that he met and married his first wife Sylvia Coombs in 1944. They were the parents of 11 children. Lyle was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints and enjoyed doing missionary work among family and friends. He introduced the gospel to his present wife Gail Peyton Swanson and they were married in 1977. Lyle welcomed her three children into the family. In the fall of 2009 Lyle and Gail retired from the farm and moved into Brooks. It was here that he was lovingly taken care of by his loving wife Gail until his passing. Funeral services for Lyle were held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Rosemary on Saturday, March 29, 2014. Interment followed at the Rosemary Cemetery. Arrangements in care of THOM’S FUNERAL HOME AND RECEPTION CENTRE. For further information please visit www.thomsfuneralhome.com or call (403) 501-1010.
