Obituary of Michael Edward Parker

Military Funeral Honors for Michael Edward Parker of Elsberry, MO will be held at 5:15 p.m. Friday, February 10, 2023 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, followed immediately by a Masonic Service at 5:30 p.m. A Memorial Service honoring the lives of both Mike and Linda Parker will be held at 6:00 p.m. The Services will be aired on Facebook Live. Inurnment in the Elsberry City Cemetery will be held at a later date. Mike, 74, passed away Monday morning, February 6, 2023 at the Elsberry Health Care Center near Elsberry. Born February 14, 1948 at St. Joseph Hospital in St. Charles, MO, he was the youngest of five children born to James Howard and Marjorie Jo Cropper Parker. Mike was a 1967 graduate of Elsberry High School and went on to attend Southeast Missouri State University. He served his country in the United States Army from June 20, 1967 until his Honorable Discharge on June 19, 1969. Mike was united in marriage on July 7, 1984 in Elsberry to Linda Galloway Leftwich. This union was blessed with one son, Andrew. Mike and Linda had a love for traveling and antiquing. When Linda’s health prevented her from traveling, Mike carried on the road-trip traveling with Andrew. Mike had a passion for Genealogy and loved to do family research. Mike was active in the Elsberry Community over the years, serving on the Board of the Joseph R. Palmer Family Memorial Library and as a City of Elsberry Alderman from 1998-2004. Mike and Linda owned Main Street Clothiers. Mike worked as a Removal Specialist and Visitation and Funeral Assistant for Carter-Ricks Funeral Homes for 16 years, retiring in 2010. Always willing to lend a hand, Mike would come out of retirement to assist at the Funeral Home from time to time. He was a member of American Legion Post #226 in Elsberry; member and Past Master of New Hope Masonic Lodge #199 AF&AM. He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Marjorie Parker; two brothers: James and Robert Parker; one sister, Patti Vanaman; and his beloved wife of 37 years, Linda Parker, who died on January 18, 2022. Survivors include his son, Andrew Parker of Elsberry; stepson, David Leftwich and his wife, Tara Kelly of Houston, TX; one granddaughter, Eliot Kelly-Leftwich; one sister, Judith Mead of Springfield, MO; his devoted brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Larry and Cindy Cordsiemon of Elsberry; his sister-in-law, Joy Parker of St. Louis, MO; many nieces, nephews, other relatives, coworkers and friends. Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. until the time of Military Honors at 5:15 p.m., Friday, February 10, 2023 at Carter-Ricks Funeral Home in Elsberry. Memorials may be made to the Elsberry Health Care Center (or) the Joseph R. Palmer Family Memorial Library for the Genealogy Room in care of Carter-Ricks Funeral Home, 107 S. 5th Street; Elsberry, MO 63343.