LEMMA RUTH COLWELL PARKER
1927-2025
Lemma Ruth Colwell Parker of Madisonville TX passed away on January 28, 2025 at the age of 97 years, 7 months and 16 days. A visitation was scheduled for Saturday, February 1, 2025, from 10 a.m. until time of service at 11 a.m., at Day Funeral Home Chapel in Madisonville. Burial followed at Greenbrier Cemetery. Pastor Joel Douget and Mr. Jack Hunter officiated.
Ruth was born June 12, 1927 in Madisonville to Emmett C. Colwell and Winnie Hightower Colwell. She attended grades 1-8 at Concord School and graduated from Madisonville High School in 1943. After attending Massey Business School in Houston, TX, she returned home and worked for Stanley Motors as a bookkeeper where she met her future husband, Nelson Parker. They married November 19, 1949.
They had a special bond and love that lasted 65 plus years until Nelson was called home July 22, 2015.
Ruth is survived by their children, Geneva Martinka and husband Bernie, Judy Bradshaw and husband Casey,
Clyde Nelson Parker, Jr. and wife Cathy; grandchildren, Gena
Smith (Darve), Laura Kennedy (Nathan), Sunny Martinka, Mindy Crouch (Trant), Sarah Massey (Will), Amie Scott (Dwain), and Jameson “Bud” Parker (Samantha); great grandchildren, Jordan Peña, Trevor Smith, Reid and Ruth Rodriguez, Jasper Kennedy, Henry Massey, Jackson, Abbey, Jesse, Corley, Michael and Danielle Crouch, Maci Fennel, Vivian and Victoria Scott and Hayslee Parker; in addition, she has 15 great great grandchildren.
Ruth was very active in her church, her community and the lives of her children and grandchildren. She was raised Presbyterian but became an active member of the Methodist Church after she and Nelson married.
They attended Elwood Methodist and First Methodist in Madisonville. Ruth was chairman of the Finance Committee, Sunday school and Vacation Bible school coordinator and teacher, President of United Methodist Women and sang in the choir. Ruth was also active on the district level and held several district offices as well as being on the board of directors of the SonShine Center. She served as an election judge for many years, was an adult volunteer with the 4H clubs in Elwood and Madisonville working on projects with her children and grandchildren and volunteered to read to children in the classroom.
In addition to being active in her church and community, she was a valued bookkeeper and accountant for several businesses in Madisonville.
Ruth loved Madisonville and Madison County. Her family jokes that Madison County is Rome, the center of the universe-- all roads lead to Rome (Madison County). She was proud of her family heritage. She and Nelson received a State Agricultural Heritage award for 125 years of continuous agriculture on their family property. She was an active member of the Madison County Historical Society and the Daughters of the Confederacy. Ruth and Nelson spent many hours, days, and years doing genealogy research on her family and his.
This research led them to another of their loves— travel. They combined traveling and genealogy research. They made numerous trips to both the Southeastern and Southwestern United States.
On one of their trips they stopped in Salley, South Carolina for the Chitlin Strut. They were very disappointed when the fried chitlins were greasy and cold!
In January 2024, Ruth decided to move into assisted living. Texas Loving Care (TLC) became her home where she enjoyed making friends and loved the fellowship and the activities. Special thanks to the staff at TLC, Traditions Home Health and Marie Douga for their dedication, love and support.
Pallbearers were Jameson Parker, Darve Smith, Nathan Kennedy, Trant Crouch, Will Massey, Dwain Scott, Trevor Smith, Reid Rodriguez and Jackson Crouch. Honorary Pallbearers were Bernie Martinka, Casey Bradshaw, Ray Mosley and Donnie Colwell.
