Rose Marie Parker, born on November 18, 1946, in Stuttgart, Arkansas, went to be with the Lord on Monday, September 8, 2025, after a brief battle with lung cancer.

She was the 14th child of Andrew Petrus and Sophia (Wargo) Petrus. She grew up on the family farm in Slovak, Arkansas, and spent her childhood doing whatever it took to help the family put food on the table. Times were hard and most people were trying to recover from the depression and, with 14 children, it was even tougher.

When Rose wasn’t working on the farm, she attended the small Catholic school in Slovak, where her brothers and sisters went as well. When she was a teenager, her parents moved off of the farm to Carlisle, Arkansas, a neighboring town. While living there, she attended Hazen High School. Shortly after high school, she left to move to Dallas, Texas, to live with older sisters who were living there.

It is in Dallas where she met the love of her life, Steve Parker. They married in 1985 and were married until 2008 when he passed away. Rose loved the life she had with Steve! She also loved being with family and, anytime any holiday came around, she couldn’t wait to get dressed for the occasion and celebrate!

Rose is survived by her sister, Grace Rate (94) of West Bend, Wisconsin; her sister, Judie Woodard (88) of Garland, Texas; and her brother, Andrew Wayne Petrus (85) of Carlisle, Arkansas.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Steve Parker; her parents, Andrew and Sophia Petrus; and the rest of her siblings.

The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, please make a donation to her favorite charity, the Salvation Army, at https://give.salvationarmyusa.org/campaign/676125/donate?c_src=top_nav.