Lauragene Parker

Memorial services will be held for Lauragene Parker of Commerce at Rosemound Cemetery on Saturday, May 22, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. Miss Parker was 95 years, 10 months, 15 days at the time of her death on May 4, 2010.

She was born in Commerce, Texas on June 19, 1914 and was the only child of Zona Lee and L.V. (Pat) Parker. She attended the Commerce Public Schools and East Texas State College, and conducted her own School of Stage Arts including dancing, piano, and expression for a number of years before moving to Dallas in 1942.

Lauragene was a freelance writer throughout her life and sold several adult fiction stories, articles, drawings, and poems to such children's magazines as Child Life, Children's Activities, Jack and Jill, Humpty-Dumpty, Calling All Girls, Wee Wisdom, and many church story papers. While in Dallas, she held the position of Associate Editor of such publications as the national Farm and Ranch magazine, for eleven years, authoring two by-line columns. She was also the assistant editor of The Insurance Journal, Dallas Home Builders, and The Cotton Gin and Oil Mill Press. The last several years of her professional life, she served as a supervisor for the regional office of Leeds and Northrup Company in Dallas.

Miss Parker retired in 1974 and returned to Commerce to live with her mother. She was an artist and an active member of the Commerce Humane Association. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Commerce.

Lauragene was preceded in death by her parents and is survived only by numerous cousins.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to be sent to the Commerce Humane Association, P.O. Box 2, Commerce, TX 75429.