Parker L. Lawlis Obituary (1935 - 2023)

Parker Lynn Lawlis, 88, of Bloomington, passed away peacefully April 29,2023 with his family at his side. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, friend, and community leader. Parker was born March 15,1935 in Pekin, IL, as the youngest child of Kirby Vincent Lawlis and Eleanor (LaCharite) Lawlis of Forest City, IL. He married Sharon Anne Morton of Bement, IL on June 20, 1964. Married for 58 years! Survivors include his wife and children, Julie Lynne Lawlis, Chicago; Patrick Scott Lawlis, London, England; Mark Kirby (Melissa) Lawlis Lino Lakes, MN and grandsons Grant Kirby and Kolton Michael Lawlis. Also surviving are nephews, Wes (Ellen) Gates, John (Carol) Lawlis, Michael Lawlis, Tim (Joda) Morton, Tyler (Susan) Morton; nieces, Trish (Mike) Hilbert, Sheila (Rick) Monkarsh, Lorey Morton and sister-in-law Sandra Morton (John) Snyder. He was preceded in death by his parents, stepmother Ferne Shanholtzer Lawlis, sister Mary Lou Lawlis Gates, brother Kirby M. Lawlis, sister-in-law Mary Anne Lawlis, favorite aunt Regina Huebschman, brother-in-law Larry Morton and niece Joanne Lawlis Schulz. Parker grew up in Forest City, IL. He was the only paper boy in Forest City for many years and could still remember most names of the 233 people who lived there at that time. He developed into a good basketball player at Forman High School with people still remembering when they beat Pekin in the 1953 regional tournament. He attended Beloit College his freshman year then transferred to Illinois State Normal University to complete his degree in Business Education and Health/Phys Ed and to play basketball for the Redbirds. His senior year he was a co-captain of their 1956-1957 season. He later completed his Masters in Educational Admin. Additionally, he served as a member of the Army Reserve and the National Guard for six years. Parker started his career in various educational roles including Principal, Teacher and Coach at grade schools around Chillicothe, Minier and Dolton. Desiring a change of career after marriage, he worked for the Dow Jones Education Service Bureau in NYC for a year. He then returned to Normal as the Director of Alumni Services at ISU before becoming the Director of Placement Services which he enjoyed until his retirement in 1992. He always answered the phone "Hi, how can I help?" and he positively affected the careers of many, many students in this role. He initiated and organized the first Illinois Collegiate Job Fair and the first Midwest Teacher Placement Week. During this time he received several honors: Distinguished Service Award from both Illinois Association and Great Lakes Association of School, College and University Staffing; Eastern Michigan University Special Services Award; Honorary Membership in the Midwest College Placement Association. Parker had a passion to serve which led to his taking an active role in the community. As a member of Epiphany Catholic Church in Normal, he served as Eucharistic Minister as well as initiated some outreach projects for the church family. He was elected to the Normal City Council in 1978 serving for 25 years. He was known to be an advocate of fiscal responsibility and always interested in helping constituents solve problems. He served on the McLean County Board, President of the Home Sweet Home Foundation, President of the Illinois State University Annuitants Association and co-chaired three Unit 5 School District Referendums. He received the 1997 Normal Citizen of the Year Award, the 2010 E. Burton Mercier Alumni Service Award from ISU and the James Collie Volunteer Service Award from the Bloomington-Normal Kiwanis Organization. He and Sharon also were honored to be the 2017 ISU Alumni King and Queen. In retirement Parker served as an American Red Cross volunteer where he went on 21 assignments for disaster relief at the local, state and national level. He loved volunteering at the Midwest Food bank the last 12yrs primarily driving the box truck for pick-ups. He enjoyed driving people or their cars wherever they needed to go especially if the cars needed to get to Arizona, California and Florida. Parker was a free spirit who always had a "project" to get his wife, his family and/or his friends involved. Some of his favorites were cooking and serving meals for the Salvation Army's Safe Harbor, working for room and board at Snow Mountain Ranch in Colorado over Christmas break affording skiing and hiking time, and in 1982 after getting snow bound in Limon,CO on Christmas Day, he rallied the family to open the one restaurant in town to feed all the stranded people. Parker loved adventure, fishing, hunting, gardening (and sharing the produce), card playing, happy hour and telling his stories to friends, coffee buddies or to anyone who would listen. Travel was also a special interest venturing to all 50 states and to Europe, Australia and Japan. One favorite adventure in 2002 was a family trip to Italy for 16 days, where he perfected his pursuit of cheap wine. One of the last items on his bucket list was to take his sons, grandsons, and a nephew to Alaska on a special fishing trip which was wonderfully accomplished in the summer of 2019, bringing home lots of fish as well as memories to cherish for all. He and Sharon also enjoyed 24 years of wintering in Venice, FL where the sun was warm, the fishing was good and the sunsets spectacular. For a boy born during the depression, with humble beginnings from small town USA, who lost his mother at the age of five, Parker was a survivor. His life was well lived and he will surely be missed by many! A Visitation/Celebration will be held from 1:00-4:00 p.m., Saturday May 20, 2023 at Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home, Bloomington. A private family Mass will be held at Epiphany. In lieu of flowers, Parker would be honored to have memorials directed to Midwest Food Bank, The Parker and Sharon Lawlis Endowed Scholarship Fund at Illinois State Foundation at ISU or serve a person in need in his honor.