Margaret Moody Parker

Augusta, GA – On February 9, 2013, Mrs. Margaret Moody Parker, 93, was guided by Jesus, her Savior, from her earthly home to her eternal home with God. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 63 years, Dr. Charles R. Parker, Sr. She is survived by her three sons: Dr. C. Richard Parker, Jr. and his wife Sandra of Pell City, AL, their daughter Jennifer Parker Eichler, and their son Scott and his wife Kathy, all of Trussville,AL; D. Wayne Parker and his wife Terri of Evans, GA, and their daughter Emily and her husband Dallas Williams of Augusta, GA; and Bruce F. Parker and his wife Carol of Evans, GA, and their daughter Lauren and her husband David Purvis of Savannah, GA. Margaret is also survived by a brother, Russell M. Moody of Griffin, GA and two great grandsons, Alex Fant and Parker Eichler of Trussville, AL.
Funeral services will be held on Wednesday morning, February 13, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church of Augusta with Dr. Greg Deloach and Dr. Rodger Murchison officiating. Interment will be at Hillcrest Memorial Park.
The family would like to extend special thanks and gratitude to Kimberly Usry, her caregiver for the past several years.
Margaret was a native of Macon, GA. From birth, she was instilled with both a love for God and a thirst for Knowledge. Her father’s relatives included Dwight L. Moody, the most prominent evangelist of his era and her mother’s relatives, the Thigpens, were college professors. She attended Bessie Tift College, Rabun Gap-Nacoochee College, and Oglethorpe University, where she majored in Liberal Arts and Languages. She was also an accomplished musician, playing first violin in her schools’ orchestras and singing dramatic soprano in the glee clubs. In 1939, she sang in the Great Choir of Atlanta during the Baptist World Alliance. She attended Atlanta Business School, earning degrees in Commerce and Business Law. She also studied Nursing and Radiography at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. While working in Millen, GA as a nurse during WWII, she met the love of her life, Charles, who was visiting the hospital prior to his enlistment in the U.S. Army.
At a very early age, Margaret realized that in order to serve God she must serve her fellow man. Though being only a tiny wisp of a lady, her commitments were huge and the results were gigantic. She volunteered herself to many causes, including The Richmond County Family and Children Services, The Augusta Rescue Mission, The Augusta Association Baptist Benevolence, and Meals on Wheels. In 1980, “in recognition of over 25 years of coordinating food and shelter provisions for refugees, shut-ins, and abused children,” she was chosen by The University Health Care Foundation to receive their 1st Humanitarian of the Year Award. Upon presenting the award, the late Harry Jernigan said, “she has the heart of a saint, the mind of a scholar, and the energy of 10 people, all contained within a rare person.” She also found time for many civic endeavors, including holding leadership positions in both the Augusta and Georgia Pharmaceutical Auxiliaries and The Philomathic Literary Club.
As much as she loved her family and helping others, her greatest love was that of God and her ability to teach his word; an ability greatly enhanced by her ability to read and write in Greek, Hebrew, and Latin. She enriched the spiritual lives of an immeasurable number of students over the course of more than 60 years of teaching bible study classes. Those included several classes at her beloved First Baptist Church of Augusta where she was Teacher Emeritus and Founder of the Fa Lo Ho (Faith-Love-Hope) Sunday School Class. The United Methodist Church awarded her a special membership for her teaching ministry through the Women’s Missionary Societies of St. Marks, Aldersgate, Woodlawn, and Grace. She also held classes in her home on a regular basis for many years.
Margaret served on dozens of church committees at First Baptist Church of Augusta, including the Sanctuary Committee which was charged with building the Walton Way facility. Her most significant accomplishment to that endeavor was the beautiful stained glass windows. She spent 20 years, beginning in 1973, developing a theme, designing the windows, raising funds to purchase them, working with Dr. Henry Willet of Willet Stained Glass Studios of Philadelphia, PA to produce and install the windows, and, finally, writing her book, “The Risen Christ,” to explain the many intricate details of the windows. In 1980, Margaret and her dear friend Anna Bannister were the first women elected as Deacons of First Baptist Church of Augusta.
The Pallbearers will be: Bobby Anderson, Billy Bennett, Horace Blalock, Byron Brown, L.M. Crutchfield, Alex Fant, Bobby Hawes, and Vernon Mobley. Honorary Pallbearers will be all of the members of the Fa Lo Ho Sunday School Class and the numerous students of the many classes she taught.
The family will receive friends on Tuesday evening, February 12, 2013 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Platt’s Funeral Home on North Belair Road in Evans, GA.
If so desired, a Memorial in her name may be made to the First Baptist Church of Augusta, 3500 Walton Way, Augusta, GA 30909 in lieu of flowers.