Thomas Otto "Tommy" Parker Jr.

Funeral services for Mr. Thomas Otto Parker, Jr., “Tommy”, 78, of Fairhope, AL, will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, October 1, 2022, at Start Baptist Church with Rev. Jeff Thomas officiating. Interment will follow in Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery in Monroe, LA, under the direction of Mulhearn Funeral Home Sterlington Rd., Monroe, LA. Visitation will be held from 1:00 P.M. until time of service at the church.

Thomas Otto Parker, Jr., “Tommy”, passed away September 26, 2022, due to a sudden illness. He was born on June 15, 1944, in Monroe, Louisiana, to Thomas Otto Parker, Sr. and Irma Bennet Parker. In 1967 he married the love of his life, Sharon DeFreese Parker.

Tommy never met a stranger. He was known for his gregarious personality and silly jokes, much to the embarrassment of Sharon. He was always ready to add his touch of humor at every gathering of friends and family. He had a joke prepared for every life situation. His grandchildren will miss his ridiculously funny magic tricks.

Tommy started working for A&P grocery, next to his father’s jewelry store, when he was 13 years old. After graduating high school, he became a watchmaker at Parker’s Jewelers. He then became a jeweler for Zale’s and Gordon’s jewelry stores. In 1977, he started his own wholesale company, Tommy Parker Diamonds, with his wife Sharon. He traveled around the world buying diamonds, focused mainly in Israel, India, and Belgium. His company is still active, and his legacy will live on through his wife, children and grandchildren.

He is now reunited with his parents, Otto and Irma Parker, and his brothers, Steve and Doyle. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Sharon, of Fairhope, Alabama, his children, Tommy “Trey” Parker, III of Tallahassee, Florida, Angela Parker Petrus of Fairhope, and April Parker (J.C. Billak) of Roswell, Georgia, grandchildren Madison and Morgan (Trey), Cody, Kyle, Tucker and Sadie (Angela), and Wiley, Landry, Parker, and Ava-Grace (April), great-grandchildren Rory and Conor (Wiley), siblings, Lana Faye Johnson, Gene (Lanelle) Parker, and Don (Sherry) Parker and numerous nieces and nephews that were very special to him. As well as a very special friend, Grace Pilot, who has been so dear to Tommy and Sharon over the years.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Pinecrest Development Center, 100 Pinecrest Dr, Pineville LA 71360, where his disabled grandson, Kyle, lives or Start Baptist Church, Start, Louisiana.