Pam Parker, wife, mother, grandmother, artist, inspiration and champion for the Boise Community died on Monday, March 12, 2012 at her home in Boise, Idaho.
Pam’s career started in 1972 as the bookkeeper for the Boise YMCA’s Executive Director and by the time she retired from the Y in 2003, she had directed a $13.5 million Capital Campaign used to build the National award winning West Family YMCA & Boise City Aquatic Center, acted as their Executive Director and as their Philanthropy and Communications Officer. She moved on to work with the Nature Conservancy as the Director of Philanthropy and finally to the Bogus Basin Mountain and Recreation Area as their Vice President of Development. With only a High School diploma, she developed this impressive career by working hard, seeing a need, and filling it – she achieved any goal set before her. The Idaho Business Review interviewed Pam and quoted her as saying, “I always felt like if somebody had expectations of me, then I must be able to do it – they wouldn’t ask me to do something I couldn’t do.” She continued by adding, “I’m very motivated to be creative and get the job done because I really care about it and have cared for all the people I have worked for and with.”
Pam was often recognized for her achievements and contributions. Some of the awards she received included Outstanding Development Executive Award by the Idaho Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the WCA Joyce Stein Award for Pioneering Impact on Growth and Advancement of Women and the Association of Fundraising Professionals - Outstanding Development Executive Award.
Of all her achievements, Pam was most proud of her marriage of 42 years, her daughters, the home she built and the marathon she ran at age 50. Of all of her passions, cooking an elegant meal for her friends and family and being in the outdoors were the things she loved the most. Pam enjoyed backpacking, running in the foothills, sailing the San Juan’s and serving as co-pilot while flying in the Idaho backcountry with her husband.
She made every day count. If Pam wasn’t volunteering for community services, which included positions as an acting member of the Boise Art Museum Board of Trustees, Boise Metro Rotary Club and the American Cancer Society State Public Information Chair, she was giving to her friends and neighbors with her creative talents in cooking, sewing, gardening and the arts.
Pam had cancer and lived the last six years with incredible courage and grace. Her strength and positive outlook were always an inspiration to others.
She is loved and will be terribly missed.
Pam is survived by her husband, Bruce Parker; daughters, Kelli Parker and Abbie Parker and, their husbands Olivier Chatel and Steve Korol; her granddaughter, Elsinore Korol; sister-in-law, Le Kelleher; her parents, Marvin and JoAnn Turner; as well as her siblings, Joe Turner, Ival Turner, Pat Petrie, and all of their children and grandchildren.
A memorial service to remember Pam and the beautiful life she led will be held at 10:00 am on Sunday, March 18, 2012 at the West Family YMCA, 5959 N. Discovery Way, Boise, ID 83713. A celebration will follow. Details about the reception will be coming soon and will be on Pam’s blog at http://pamspipeline.blogspot.com/ , and to share memories with the family please visit Pam’s memorial webpage at www.cloverdalefuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial donations be made to Bogus Basin Mountain and Recreation Area or the Boise Family YMCA.
2 comments:
Whoever wrote that did a beautiful job. I love the pictures; you can see her very special spirit in every one.
She was such a joy and kept her delightful sense of humor through it all.
Thank you Pam, for the pure pleasure you gave us for knowing you.
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