Obituary of Emma Ruth Parker

Emma Ruth Lovegrove Parker, age 82, of Old Hickory, TN, fought Alzheimer’s Disease until she was called home to be with the Lord on September 24, 2016. Funeral Services will be conducted by son-in-law, Brad Smith at 7 pm on Tuesday, September 27th at Sellars Funeral Home at Mt. Juliet. The family will be receiving friends at the Sellars Funeral Home from 4 pm until the service. The burial will take place at Gray Cemetery, 132 Chapel Street, Gray, TN on Saturday, October 1st at 12:00 pm. Emma Ruth was born in Bristol, VA on 11/24/1933 and grew up mostly in Kingsport, TN near the Kodak Eastman plant. It was there she met the love of her life, William Lewis “Bill” or “Cotton” Parker and married on 4/8/55. Cotton and Emma Ruth spent nearly 61 happy years by each other’s side. They raised 4 daughters together and loved to travel seeing as much of the United States as they could which included numerous trips to the Western States and outside of the U.S. to Mexico, Canada and the Holy Lands of Israel. Emma Ruth was a homemaker and seemed to always be in the kitchen cooking for her family. “Best homemade biscuits I have ever had” Granny Parker would say. Granny was right. Nobody could touch Emma Ruth’s biscuits. Emma Ruth poured all her time and her love into her family and took excellent care of them. She was a faithful wife who loved her husband “Cotton” with all her heart. She was a wonderful sweet mother to all her girls and took great pride in their lives. She loved to laugh and especially at her own jokes, not ever taking life too seriously. Emma Ruth loved old Western movies and TV shows and especially those with John Wayne, Andy Griffith, and any movie with Clark Gable. She loved music and loved to sing. She sang alto in the Temple Baptist Church choir for many years. She sang around her house and would sing with the sing-along at her memory care unit at Creekside. Singing made her happy and when she sang, it made everyone around her happy. Emma Ruth was preceded in death by her beloved husband, William “Bill” or “Cotton” Parker and now joins him in their heavenly home. She is survived by their 4 daughters, Pamela Vee Collins (John), Patricia Ann Parker (Glenn Rye), Penney Lea Carter, and Pepper Elizabeth Smith (Brad), Grandson, Chase Stephen Carter, Granddaughter, Tracey Lea Carter Vansickle (Greg), Great-Grandson, Gavin Carter Vansickle, Great-Granddaughter, Linley Brooke Vansickle, brother Bob Lovegrove (Lucille), Nephews, Tim Lovegrove, Jeffrey Lovegrove, and Paul Ray Stills, Nieces, Nancy Brinkley, Terri Stills Lang (Homer), Sherri Stills, sister-in-law, Marie Parker, and many great-nieces and great-nephews. The family would like to extend a special thank you to dear friends and loving caregivers: Richard Layhew, Carl Burleson, Roger & Peggy Evetts, Denise Roberts & family, Sherry Lee, Jessica Bell, CC, Missy Johnson, the staff at Creekside Assisted Living in Murfreesboro TN, and the kind neighbors on Ray Avenue in Old Hickory. In lieu of flowers, please send your donations in Memory of Emma Ruth Parker to the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association in her name, 4825 Trousdale Dr., Suite 220, Nashville TN, 37220. Arrangements by Sellars Funeral Home at Mt. Juliet, 2229 N. Mt. Juliet Road, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122, 615-758-5459, obituary line 615-758-8818, www.sellarsfuneralservices.com.