Rev. Clifford Benjamin Parker

Rev. Clifford Benjamin Parker, 87 of Calhoun, died Wednesday, May 20, 2015. He was born in Gilmer County on December 19, 1927, son of the late James Francis Parker and Rhoda Ider Stokes Parker. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by four brothers, J.W. Parker, Paul Parker, James Talmadge Parker, and Henry Clayton Parker; four sisters, Ella Mae Parker, Geneva Angeline Parker, Ludie Limmer Parker, and Viola Ernestine; a grandson, Benjamin Lee Eaker.

Rev. Parker was a veteran of the United States Air Force and served from 1953 until 1955. He was an ordained minister of the Gospel and has pastored at Mt. Herman Baptist Church, Bethlehem Baptist Church, and Welcome Gap Baptist Church. He was a member of New Town Baptist Church. He has officiated at many weddings and funerals. He also sang with the "Faith Singers" for several years. One of his favorite hobbies was to pick up cans on the roadway for recycling.

Survivors include his wife, Claudie Vee Hensley Parker, to whom he was married to for 59 years; daughters, Teresa (Penny) Blackstock and her husband Anthony Lee Blackstock of Calhoun, Carol Lynne Beavers of Calhoun, and Rhonda Michelle Dixon and her husband Randy Lee Dixon of Calhoun; brother, William Garland Parker of Chatsworth; sisters, Rhoda Bell Parker, Dixie Juanita Parker, and Priscilla Vandora Parker; grandchildren, Sidney Lee Eaker Jr., Shonn Harold Beavers, Autumn Blackstock Gibson, Wendy Blackstock Trundle, Cherith Blackstock Locklear, Charity Blackstock Arrivillaga, Audra Garmon Mills, Franchesca Barrett, and Bethany Barrett Clark; great grandchildren, Brody Mills, Dawson Mills, Aliyah Mills, Ben Eaker, Ashlyn Trundle, Brayson Trundle, Caylon Trundle, Anna Gibson, Ethan Gibson, Kade Locklear, Kylee Locklear, and Tristan Arrivillaga. Granddaughter-in-laws, grandsons-in-laws, nieces, nephews, sister-in-laws, and brother-in-laws also survive.

Funeral services to honor the life of Rev. Clifford Parker will be held on Saturday, May 23rd at 2:00 PM at New Town Baptist Church with Rev. Walter Hare and Rev. Julian Scott officiating. Music will be arranged by the Newtown Singers. Interment will follow at Haven of Rest Memorial Park. Rev. Parker will lie in state at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. Pallbearers serving are Lee Eaker Jr., Daniel Clark, Shonn Beavers, Adam Locklear, Miker Arrivillaga, Chad Trundle, Ryan Gibson, and Corey Mills. Honorary pallbearers are the Senior Adult Sunday School Class and the Auditorium Class of New Town Baptist Church.

The Parker family will receive friends on Friday, May 22nd at the funeral home from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm.

Condolences may be left online at www.maxbrannonandsons.com. Funeral services for Rev. Clifford Benjamin Parker are under the care and direction of Max Brannon and Sons Funeral Home of Calhoun.