Linda Lou Parker's Obituary
PARKER, Linda Lou, age 82, of Waynesville, passed away on Thursday, April 16, 2026, at the Otterbein of Middletown.
Linda Lou Parker was born on May 18, 1943, at Blanchard Valley Hospital in Findlay, Ohio, to John Jackson Myers and Gertrude Grace Hainen Myers. She was welcomed into a home shaped by industry and care — her father, a graduate of Tiffin University with a degree in business, co-founded the Ohio Candy Company in Findlay alongside Gertrude’s brother Albert. Ohio Candy Company was a beloved local business they ran together for thirty years. Her favorite sweet from her father’s candy shop was his hand-rolled toffee. Linda’s mother, a trained nurse from Mary Millar Hayes School of Nursing in Fremont, Ohio, brought compassion and steadiness to their home. John and Gertrude were married on December 25, 1935, in a ceremony officiated by Gertrude’s father, Reverend Valentine Hainen.
Growing up in Findlay, Linda was six years younger than her sister Carol, who was born March 8, 1937. Linda was a spirited, music-loving child who treasured simple joys like riding her secondhand (much to her chagrin) blue bicycle around the neighborhood, which her father had parsimoniously bought for five dollars. As a young girl, Linda cherished the family pet, Pepe the parakeet, who had free rein of the house and loved to splash in the lettuce as her mother was preparing salad for the evening meal, and also loved eating bread while perched on her father’s shoulder. In addition to riding bicycles, Linda played the French horn, was an active member of St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church, and sang in the choir. Linda graduated from Findlay High School in 1951 and went on to earn her degree in education from Ohio Northern University, following the same path as her sister Carol.
Linda began her career in Englewood, Ohio, where she taught first grade for six years, a calling that would define much of her life. She then spent a year in Phoenix, Arizona, before returning to the Dayton area. She quickly found work at Cox Elementary in Xenia, Ohio, where she taught sixth grade for 27 years, retiring in 1998. Her retirement year was a milestone in more ways than one: her son Rob married, her son Andy graduated from college, and her dear colleague and friend Janet Hutchinson retired alongside her. Linda volunteered as much as possible during her career and was a devoted member of the Xenia Education Association (XEA), holding many offices there throughout her career.
On November 28, 1970, Linda married Robert Milton Parker III at the United Methodist Church in Findlay, Ohio. They honeymooned at Hueston Woods. Together they built a warm and lively family home in Waynesville, Ohio, full of fresh air, flowers, and an ever-rotating cast of beloved pets. Over the years, Linda and her family shared their lives with parakeets, dogs, cats, birds, fish, hamsters, guinea pigs, and turtles. Dogs held a special place in Linda’s heart: Whiskers, Shaggy, Puff, Flopsy the Mutt, Mindy the Irish Setter, Cory and Joe the Golden Retrievers, Missy, and a run of three cocker spaniels: Squirt I, Sparky, and Squirt II. One of Linda’s favorite animal memories was watching Mimi the cat give birth to several kittens on the front porch during a warm summer morning.
Linda had a deep love for the outdoors and for making things bloom. Spring was her favorite season, and peonies - in any color - were her favorite flower. She took great pride in her garden, adorned with whirligigs, and loved the meditative work of mowing the grass (sometimes with a cool drink in her hand). Her faith was central to her life; she was an active and committed member of the United Methodist Church in Waynesville, serving as president of the women’s club and participating in numerous leadership roles there. Her favorite hymn was “Here I Am, Lord” (“Whom Shall I Send”). She was also president of the Waynesville Progressive Women’s Club for several years and was a proud member of Delta Kappa Gamma and the College Women’s Club of Dayton. She also played bells for the church for several years.
Throughout her life, Linda gave generously of herself: to her students, to her church, to her community, and to her family. She was one of the founding organizers of the funeral luncheon tradition at her church, a ministry that grew so beloved it took three people to fill her shoes. She will be remembered for her quiet strength, her love of spring, her peonies, and the way she made everyone around her feel seen and cared for.
Linda is survived by her husband, Robert Milton Parker III, her eldest son Robert Milton Parker IV and his wife Susana, of Johns Creek, Georgia, and their three children Vicky, Luca, and Sofia, as well as her youngest son John Andrew Parker and his wife Natalie, of Gastonia, North Carolina, along with their four children Riley, Abby, Owen, and Morgan. Both sons attended Wright State University for a time being, with Rob graduating from WSU in IT and Andrew moving on to Columbus School of Art and Design, graduating with a degree in Design. Both boys, their careers, and their families were a source of enormous pride for their mother. Linda is also survived by her older sister Carol and Carol’s family.
A memorial service will be at 3 pm on Saturday, April 25, 2026, at Stubbs-Conner Funeral Home in Waynesville. Pastor Joni Manson will be officiating. The family will receive friends from 2- 3 pm on Saturday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Waynesville United Methodist Church, PO Box 634,
Waynesville, OH 45068.
Condolences at https://www.stubbsconner.com
“Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
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