Ellen Marie Parker Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Ellen Marie Ries Parker, aged 72, died peacefully after a courageous struggle with cancer. Ellen was born in Toledo, Ohio, on July 2, 1947, to Fredrick J. Ries and Lois Ries. She was their first child, and made sure that her younger brother and sister knew it. Ellen lived through numerous events in Toledo, including a time that she saw a tornado with numerous colors swirling in it because it had picked up a paint factory. (Note: This may or may not have happened; Ellen liked to tell tall tales on occasion). After high school, Ellen went to the University of Toledo, where she met the love of her life, Robert M. Parker, in a Western Civ class. They were married soon after and had their first child. Then, Robert got a teaching job in Lorain, Ohio, and Ellen moved two hours away from her hometown. In Lorain, Ellen was involved in many activities: she went to nursing school, she had two more kids, she ran the Booster Club for her son’s football teams, and she coached an award-winning girl’s softball team. One memorable fall, she and her husband chaperoned the Admiral King High School marching band’s trip to New York City, where she selflessly chaperoned the people who did NOT want to go to the top of the Empire State Building while the brave kids went up. In 1996, her daughter had brain surgery in Cleveland, and Ellen took over the entire neurosurgery department. Ellen leaves behind a husband of 51 years, Robert Sr., three children (Robert Jr., Michael and Victoria) two children-in-law (Laura and Karen), an almost-son-in-law (Rex), four grandchildren (Lauren, Ashley, Alex and Katie) and one great-granddaughter (Callie), plus a brother (Fred) and sister (Martha) and numerous nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind dozens and dozens of former patients, co-workers, and friends. Ellen was preceded in death by her father, Fredrick and mother, Lois. She was an avid church-goer, loved music and dogs, and ran a big antique business that she and her husband started after they retired. She had no problem giving her opinion on anything, and she never met a stranger. She also delighted in sharing her life story with pretty much everyone. Donations in her name can be sent to The Cancer Support Community of Central Ohio (cancersupportohio.org). We will have a memorial service where we can all share our stories as soon as this time of Covid is over.

Ellen Marie Parker

July 2, 1947 - May 12, 2020