Theodore Gregory Parker obituary

It's amazing what one learns about someone after he or she has died...my grandfather's brother-in-law, my great-uncle Gregory, died last week. Here's his obituary:

From the Johnson City Press:

Theodore Gregory Parker, age 98, 2101 Christian Lane, Johnson City, TN, died Wednesday, September 6, 2006, at the Johnson City Medical Center.

Gregory Parker was born in Gardner, MA, son of Robert N. Parker and Ruth Gregory Parker. Gregory lived in Johnson City, TN, from the age of 12 and graduated from Science Hill High School in 1926. Gregory was married for 68 years to the late Frances Long Parker, a Johnson City native who graduated from Science Hill in 1925. Gregory graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, OH, in 1930, and later received an M.B.A. degree from Bucknell University in Lewisburg, PA, in 1933.

After Ohio Wesleyan, Gregory became employed by Empire Furniture Co. in Johnson City, and then with Armstrong Cork Company in Lancaster, PA. In Lancaster, Gregory played one season as pitcher for the Lancaster Red Roses baseball team.

Gregory and Frances were married at the First Methodist Church in Johnson City in 1935 and moved shortly afterwards to Lewisburg, PA, where they lived until 1969. In Lewisburg, Gregory was first employed as sales manager for Lewisburg Chair & Furniture Co., where his father, Robert N. Parker, was president. In that role, Gregory conceived the trade name Pennsylvania House Furniture for the company's products, which name survives to date.

In 1954, Gregory became president of Pennsylvania House Furniture until he retired in 1969. Subsequently, Gregory and Frances lived in Annisquam, MA, and Boynton Beach, FL, until 1975, when they returned to Johnson City and resumed their membership in the First United Methodist Church.

In civic affairs, Gregory was active in the Beaver Memorial Methodist Church in Lewisburg, while Frances served as church organist. Gregory was also active in the Rotary Club in Lewisburg.

Gregory is survived by his children, Frances Parker Swartz, of Framingham, MA, and Robert Ted Parker, of San Francisco; as well as by his son-in-law, Jim Swartz; his daughter-in-law, Kristine Salkeld Parker; his two granddaughters, Frances Reynolds, of Cape Coral, FL, and Heather Boggini, of St. Petersburg, FL, and their husbands, Dr. Fletcher Reynolds and Mr. Andrew Boggini. Gregory enjoyed his five grandchildren, Blake, Anthony, Dominic, Fletcher and Beau. His nieces and nephews include Johnson City natives Hardy Long, Jane Long Hardin, Edwin A. Long, Frances Long and Jerome Long, the children of Dr. Carroll Long and Mrs. Lou Ann Long. Others, from elsewhere, are Dr. William Scott Long, Vincent Long Stephens, Frear Streeter Simons, Susan Kohli Marsh, Mary Kohli Furniss, Robert Allyn Streeter and Roberta Kohli Garlock.

A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church, 900 Spring Street (at Maple), Johnson City, at 4:00 PM on Friday, September 8, 2006. Visitation with the family will occur in the Church Parlor at 3:00 PM prior to the service. Burial will follow at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Johnson City. Floral deliveries or contributions should be made to First United Methodist Church, flowers by Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.

Appalachian Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 800 E. Watauga Avenue, Johnson City, is serving the Parker family.