James "Cliff" Parker

Saltillo - James Clifton "Cliff" Parker, 97, died Sunday, April 8, 2018, at Sanctuary Hospice House after a lengthy illness. He was born in Mooreville November 9, 1920, to Dock and Mary Linda Clouse Parker. He had been a resident of Saltillo for the last 43 years. Earlier in his life, he worked as a ship welder at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula and as a barge welder in Memphis, Tennessee, but he had spent most of his adult life working as an orchard foreman in Florida and Michigan. Later in life, he worked creating decorative wreaths and baskets with grape and muscadine vines to wholesale to florists all across Mississippi and Alabama until he was 84 years old. Cliff loved to squirrel hunt, brim fish, and ride horses. He was a long-time  member of Cedar Grove United Pentecostal Church.



Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Opal K. Parker; five daughters, Jane Crausby and her husband, Max of Pontotoc, Luvine Reich (Gary Wright) of Columbus, Debbie Toney and her husband, Gary of Endville, Debora Cayson and her husband, Gary of Sherman and Norma Jean Estes and her husband, Kenneth of Saltillo; two sons, Tommy Parker and his wife, Belinda of Denton, Texas and Harold Peterson of Holland, Michigan; six grandchildren, Matthew Cayson and his wife, Sarah, Anna Catherine Cayson, Teresa Williams, Michelle Lail and her husband, Mike,  Alasha Rhea and her husband, Dana and Darby McCuller and his wife, Beth, Chelsea Peterson Loflin and her husband, Javonte and Taylor Peterson; and numerous great-grandchildren.



He was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Barbara Ann Ard; three sisters, Will Allred, Vern Plunkett, and Myrtle Webb; six brothers, Dalton, Clyde, Carl, Vick, Hollis and John Parker; three granddaughters, Tammy Thomas, Terry Allred and Kimberly Wright; and one grandson, Jim Ard.



Visitation will be from 4 until 9 p.m. Tuesday, April 10 and from 12 p.m. until service time Wednesday at W.E. Pegues, Tupelo.



Services honoring his life will be 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at the Jefferson Street Chapel of W.E. Pegues with  Rev. Danny Robbins officiating. Graveside services will follow in Boguefala Cemetery.



Pallbearers will be Kenneth Estes, Harold Peterson, Gary Cayson, Gary Toney, Pete Harrelson and D.L. Parker.



Honorary pallbearers will be Gary Wright, Max Crausby and Jerry Davis.



The service will be live streamed and recorded for those who may not be able to attend at www.peguesfuneralhome.com .



Memorials may be made to Sanctuary Hospice House, 5159 W. Main St Tupelo, MS 38801.



Expressions of sympathy may be left at www.peguesfuneralhome.com .