Edward Dean Parker was born on February 6, 1955 and let go of this life to be free of pain on July 11, 2023. He was born to Glen and Hazel (Christensen) Parker in Broken Bow, NE, joining two siblings, to be followed by two more.
His youth was spent in the Cozad, Smithfield and Gothenburg, NE areas. He attended rural schools in those communities, graduating from Eustis High School in 1973. He and his family resided on farms where his father was employed. A strong work ethic was instilled in Ed when at 12 years of age he began to work to earn money for the cars he purchased that would not always be driven in a sensible manner.
In 1980, he married Cristyl Christensen and they moved to Norton, KS, where Ed was employed by a feedlot and local area farmers. They later divorced and Ed returned to Nebraska. He worked for various farmers in the Cozad and Gothenburg area. When he left the employment of Gene Johnson of Gothenburg, Gene told Ed that he would now “have to hire two men” to take Ed’s place.
Ed began working for Eugene Johnson of Holdrege, NE. Eugene owned a working farm southwest of Johnstown, NE, and asked Ed to come to the Sandhills to help with the farm’s operation. Ed remained in Eugene’s employment until Eugene decided to leave farming in the early 2000’s. By that time, Ed had met and fell in love with JoAnn Hinrichs Johnson. They were married on August 31, 2006, and resided at their place just outside of Johnstown. Shortly thereafter, Ed began to work a multitude of jobs at the Rolling Stone Feedlot near Ainsworth until health issues forced him to leave their employment in March, 2023.
Ed always enjoyed working as a mechanic – usually cars and pick-ups, but also ATV’s and older tractors. Several years ago, Ed and his brother, Gene, worked on an SUV Ed had purchased from a neighbor. They tackled a variety of issues to make the SUV drivable again, until both brothers realized their bodies “weren’t what they used to be.”
He also enjoyed helping JoAnn with the garden, doing the tilling, weeding and picking the produce. Often times he was needed to help with the calves JoAnn raised on their Jersey cows. He so enjoyed seeing the calves grow and develop. He took on the responsibility of keeping the bird feeders filled and thoroughly enjoyed watching as the birds came to eat. On occasion to get a break from the demands of home and work, Ed and JoAnn would take short road trips. Ed always drove to their destinations, which earned him the privilege of sleeping on the way home. At night after work, Ed would take his beloved “Claire Bear” on her evening dog run. Ed could be seen driving with Claire walking and trotting by his side.
Often times the achievements of an individual are not always evident to others. Out of sheer determination and mindset, Ed overcame alcoholism and was sober for 30 years. It made a powerful impact on his life and perhaps others that knew him. Knowing of Ed’s accomplishment, they felt they could do it too. Ed was always a hard and conscientious worker - - sometimes too much. His upbeat attitude was always evident. However, knowing how serious his health issues were, he often kept his concerns to himself. He hoped that medical procedures would allow him to remain active for years to come. If his body allowed it, tasks at home were completed in full. That way, in the event he wouldn’t get the chance to work on those jobs, they were done right. He was one of a kind and will be greatly missed.
Ed was preceded in death by his parents. Those left to mourn him include his devoted wife, Joann and his beloved dog, Claire of Johnstown; children, Jessica Uhrich of Cozad, Tiffany Parker of Lincoln, NE, Joshua Parker of Overton, NE, Misty Bland of Hoxie, KS; step-son, Tate (Megan) Johnson of Excelsior Springs, MO; ten grandchildren and two step-grandsons; siblings, Shirley (Brad) Houlden of Imperial, NE, Beverly (Chuck) Volk of Cozad, Gene (JoAnn) Parker of Cozad, and Bob Parker of Spencer, IA; along with numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and other family members.
Memorial Services were held Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at Hoch Funeral Home in Ainsworth with Pastor Donnie Painter officiating at the service. The CD selections “Go Rest High On That Mountain” by Vince Gill and “Amazing Grace” by The Statler Brothers were played. A loving eulogy was given by Ed’s daughter, Tiffany Parker. Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hochfuneralhome.com.
