Obituary for Juanita Parker-Ward
The Beautiful Gift and Life
of Juanita Parker-Ward
Juanita Parker-Ward, 86, of Amarillo, passed away on Thursday, July 7, 2022. Memorial Services will be at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, July 9, 2022 at Brooks Chapel in Canyon with Rev. Billy D. Nickell, pastor of First Family Church in Amarillo, officiating.
Juanita was born on September 2, 1935 in Amarillo, Texas to Calvin and Hazel James. She has one sister, Julia, and a brother, Stephen. She is preceded in death by both parents, a son-in-law, Greg and a granddaughter, Destiny.
Juanita’s love for music started at a very early age. When she was three years old, she sang “Rubber Dolly” on the radio for a talent show and felt sure she would be heading to Hollywood! Obviously, that didn’t happen! At four years old, she discovered a small end table in her living room, she pulled up a chair and began playing it as if it were a piano. She also had a band (the radio!) playing with her. She played for hours and hours every day. She wanted to play the piano so badly.
Juanita and her sister, Julia, were attending a little Baptist church. She would sit as close to the piano as possible so she could watch the pianist play. One Sunday morning, as the piano player was playing “At the Cross, At the Cross…where I first saw the light….” Juanita and her sister went forward to the altar and accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. She was 7 years old at that time. Her love for Jesus grew and grew, as did her love for music.
During her school years, her principal would take her out of school to play for the Kiwanis Club, various civic functions, luncheons and for other schools. The remarkable thing was she never had to take written music with her, even though she was just 11 years old at the time because she was able to hear a song and sit down and play it.
She played for the school assembly every week, for the orchestra and choir while in school. She played the accordion for city and county jail services and on Polk street services - the piano was in the back of a pickup!
When she was 13, she started playing for weddings, banquets and other events. She became the Assistant Pianist at First Assembly of God Church. At 15, she became the regular pianist at First Assembly of God Church. She also had a radio program every week.
She considered it a privilege to have toured with several musical groups as well as playing for citywide crusades and for many leading evangelists such as Jimmy Swaggart, David Wilkerson, Oral Roberts and Vic Coburn.
She taught piano lessons in her home while raising her family and continued teaching in her home for over 70 years. Through many stages and changes in life, the gift of music continued to be her passion and brought her much joy, as did her family of five kids. Her children were her pride and joy. She is survived by her daughters: Beverly Jones, Melody Conway and husband, Frosty; Lisa Blake and husband, Ron. Two sons: Rodney Parker and Mitch Parker and wife, Jacqueline. She has nine grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.
of Juanita Parker-Ward
Juanita Parker-Ward, 86, of Amarillo, passed away on Thursday, July 7, 2022. Memorial Services will be at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, July 9, 2022 at Brooks Chapel in Canyon with Rev. Billy D. Nickell, pastor of First Family Church in Amarillo, officiating.
Juanita was born on September 2, 1935 in Amarillo, Texas to Calvin and Hazel James. She has one sister, Julia, and a brother, Stephen. She is preceded in death by both parents, a son-in-law, Greg and a granddaughter, Destiny.
Juanita’s love for music started at a very early age. When she was three years old, she sang “Rubber Dolly” on the radio for a talent show and felt sure she would be heading to Hollywood! Obviously, that didn’t happen! At four years old, she discovered a small end table in her living room, she pulled up a chair and began playing it as if it were a piano. She also had a band (the radio!) playing with her. She played for hours and hours every day. She wanted to play the piano so badly.
Juanita and her sister, Julia, were attending a little Baptist church. She would sit as close to the piano as possible so she could watch the pianist play. One Sunday morning, as the piano player was playing “At the Cross, At the Cross…where I first saw the light….” Juanita and her sister went forward to the altar and accepted Jesus as their personal Savior. She was 7 years old at that time. Her love for Jesus grew and grew, as did her love for music.
During her school years, her principal would take her out of school to play for the Kiwanis Club, various civic functions, luncheons and for other schools. The remarkable thing was she never had to take written music with her, even though she was just 11 years old at the time because she was able to hear a song and sit down and play it.
She played for the school assembly every week, for the orchestra and choir while in school. She played the accordion for city and county jail services and on Polk street services - the piano was in the back of a pickup!
When she was 13, she started playing for weddings, banquets and other events. She became the Assistant Pianist at First Assembly of God Church. At 15, she became the regular pianist at First Assembly of God Church. She also had a radio program every week.
She considered it a privilege to have toured with several musical groups as well as playing for citywide crusades and for many leading evangelists such as Jimmy Swaggart, David Wilkerson, Oral Roberts and Vic Coburn.
She taught piano lessons in her home while raising her family and continued teaching in her home for over 70 years. Through many stages and changes in life, the gift of music continued to be her passion and brought her much joy, as did her family of five kids. Her children were her pride and joy. She is survived by her daughters: Beverly Jones, Melody Conway and husband, Frosty; Lisa Blake and husband, Ron. Two sons: Rodney Parker and Mitch Parker and wife, Jacqueline. She has nine grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.