William Heber Parkin
William Heber Parkin was living at the Heritage Care Center in American Fork when he contracted COVID. As his condition worsened, he was transferred to the VA hospital in Salt Lake and died on Oct. 27, 2020. He was interred in Spring City Cemetery Oct. 31, 2020.
William Heber Parkin was born in Los Angeles, California, June 21, 1933, to Lucy Hannah Barney and Leland Hatch Parkin. After a few short years there and in Wilmington, California, he was raised in Long Beach where he graduated from Long Beach Polytechnic High School.
He lived in humble, depression era circumstances with his four siblings. However, since his father was employed by Union Pacific his mother and the children were able to ride the train free to spend each summer with her beloved family in Spring City.
They were surrounded by a myriad of Allred and Barney relatives. Bill had a youthful passion for birds, animals, insects and snakes. He pleasantly surprised his junior high science teacher one day by bringing his pet rattlesnake to show and tell in a gunnysack.
After William graduated from high school he was drafted into the Army during the Korean War. His service included a year in Korea. He then served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Southern States Mission. During this period the family moved to Paso Robles, California, where he lived many years.
From birth, Bill had a learning handicap that affected his abilities in several areas. On the one hand he was quite intelligent, yet lacked good judgment and cognitive skills. He was extremely friendly, outgoing and sociable. His challenges limited him to labor-intensive jobs and modest income. His two passions became the scriptures and genealogical research. He was very proud of his pioneer and colonial ancestry and was an active participant in the Allred Family Organization. He was an active member of the Church his entire life.
In the spring of 1964, he married Joanne Losee on June 27,1964 in the Los Angeles Temple. She died of cancer on Oct. 17, 1989 in Paso Robles. He married Fern Marvel on Jan. 4, 1991, in the Los Angeles Temple. They lived in the Paso Robles area for a number of years, moved to Levan, Utah, and then to Centerfield, until 2014, when both entered separate assisted-living/nursing homes.
Fern passed away July 14, 2018. Bill was living at the Heritage Care Center in American Fork when he contracted COVID.
He was predeceased by his brother Robert Earl (Cheryl), and his two wives. He is survived by his sister, Kay (Dee) Jacobs, and brothers, Leo Barney (Marilyn) and Clemence Reid (Teri).
