John David Parker

Services for John David Parker will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023, at First Free Will Baptist Church in Sulphur with Pastor Dick Terry and Wade Hisle officiating.

John was born on August 5, 1945, in Sulphur, to John Neal Parker and Gladys Marie (Kirk) Scaff. He passed from this life on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023, in Ada, at the age of 78 years, 2 months and 8 days.

John and Cheryl Scaff were married on August 31, 1968, in Sulphur. From this union were born three children, Eric, Tanya and Christy. Many years later, he found his forever love with Gayla Adams. She preceded him in death on November 5, 2004.

John was born and raised in Sulphur, graduating from Sulphur High School in 1963. He enlisted in the United States Army with the National Guard at age 17. He began working for the Bureau of Indian Affairs at the age of 18 in Muskogee and was later transferred to Washington, DC in 1970, where he worked in the White House for the BIA during the Johnson and Nixon Administrations. In 1978, he and Cheryl moved back home to Oklahoma to raise their children.

He worked as the manager of Picks Hot Tamales in Davis, before moving to the Oklahoma School for the Deaf as a Youth Guidance Specialist, until his retirement. He was involved for many years with the Boy Scouts of America and worked every summer at Camp Simpson. As a Choctaw Veteran, he was proud of his heritage and loved teaching the native language to preserve and share his culture. He loved spending time with family, but his greatest joy in life was his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include a son, Eric Parker and wife Sharla of Stratford; daughter, Tanya Parker ofAlbuquerque, NM; daughter, Christy Colungo and husband, Michael of Ada; stepson, Jared Adams of Ellsworth, PA; seven grandchildren, Jay Parker and wife, Brenee of Fresno, CA, Christopher Colungo and wife, Jessica of Durant, Christine Parker of Durant, David Parker of Ada, and Alyssa, Ryder and Taryn Colungo, all of Ada; four great-grandchildren, Aubree Parker, Milo and Lucas Colungo and Alex Roberts; one sister, Carol Gardner of Moore; one brother, Jim Parker of Sulphur; stepsister, Janis Wiles and husband, Tom of Sulphur; stepbrother, Von Scaff and wife, Saundra of Aubrey, TX; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Extended family also includes Steve Lunsford and wife, Susan of Palm Coast, FL; his two godchildren, Stephanie Cornish and Donnie Lunsford; and many “adopted” OSD students and Boy Scouts over the years.

John was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Robert, Bill and Danny Parker and one sister, Rosemary Dodson Wadlow.

Services are entrusted to Hale’s Funeral Home of Sulphur.

Online condolences may be offered at halesfuneralhomes.com.