Margaret Smith Parker

Margaret Smith Parker, 86, of Asheville, died Sunday, January 15, 2006. Mrs. Parker was born in Buncombe County December 26, 1919 to the late William Bedent and Elizabeth Chapman Smith. Over the long 2 1/2 years of declining health, she had a constant acceptance of what came into her life without complaint. She shared her love for her family and friends, as she always had, with an optimistic spirit. She believed that life came through the hands of a loving God and she shared that love with her family and friends even through her final illness. She has received the ultimate healing and is now at home with her Lord. She was a faithful member of Grace Baptist Church where she taught and worshipped for almost 60 years. Margaret enjoyed homemaking, school volunteer work and was an accomplished artist in her later years. Margaret is survived by her husband of 65 years, Hugh Milfred Parker; daughter and son-in-law, Dena C. and David Gettleman of Asheville; her son and daughter-in-law, Hugh M. Parker, Jr. and Lynn Hampton Parker, of Winston-Salem; grandchildren Nicole L. Gettleman of Nashville, TN, Samuel P. Gettleman of Asheville, Joshua M. Parker of Istanbul, Turkey, and Sean C. Parker and his wife, Corrie, of Chapel Hill. She is also survived by a sister, Louise Marsh of Pittsboro; a brother, Ralph B. Smith and sister-in-law, Jane Smith, of Silver Springs, MD; a sister-in-law, Helen Narver Smith of W. Sacramento, CA, and nine nieces and nephews, including Sandra Duckett of Asheville. She was preceded in death by her brother, Rupert Smith and sister, Colleen Gresham. Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday in the Patton Avenue chapel of Groce Funeral Home with the Rev. Dr. L. Wayne Adkisson and the Rev. Richard Baird officiating. Private interment will be at Green Hills Cemetery. Mrs. Parker’s family will receive friends at the funeral home Tuesday afternoon immediately following the service.