Anna Parker

Anna Vee Tracy was born in Mountain View, Oklahoma on May 12, 1944 to Andrew Vernon Tracy and Effie "Irene" Coker Tracy. At fifteen, she met her future husband, Donald E. Edingfield, while working the concession stand while he coached Little League baseball. She participated in FHA, Tigerettes, Glee Club, State Honor Society, Junior Play, Class Officer, Pep Club member, and played basketball, volleyball, softball and square danced. She graduated Mountain View High School, attended the Wichita Business School then married Don. Two delightful daughters were born of this marriage, Donna Hinshaw Phoenix, and Tracy Edingfield Dunn. Alas, after 23 years of marriage, Anna and Don agreed to divorce but remain friends. They both went on to find happiness with other people, yet remained steadfast friends and remarkably unified parents.

Anna struck gold with her second husband, Ronald E. Parker, a colleague she met at Learjet. They married on September 10, 1988, and had 35 ½ years of marital bliss. Anna received her Associate Degree in Arts and Associate Degree in Applied Sciences from Hutchinson Community College. She graduated with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Business from Kansas Newman College in 1997, and retired as a bookkeeper from Learjet in August, 2000.

Anna was involved in the PTA for Kelly Elementary and Truesdell Junior High, and was a member of the Wichita South High School Booster Club. She was a voracious reader, enjoyed chatting with anyone, complimented strangers, and was uninterested in housework. She brought countless meals to friends, was a Girl Scout leader for Troop 786 and 223, and volunteered our home as the Girl Scout cookie headquarters where the living room was packed, floor to ceiling, with cases of cookies. She enjoyed betting on horse races, even though she didn't understand what a furlong was. She loved gambling, opting to play the nickel jackpot because "it lasts longer if you play with nickels than if you play with quarters."

Anna is preceded in death by her parents, Vernon and Irene Tracy, brother Joe M. Tracy, sister-in-law Katie Tracy, niece Anita Tracy, granddaughter Adrianne Howard, and former husband Don Edingfield. Survivors include husband Ron Parker of Wichita, KS, daughters Donna Phoenix of Wilmington, DE and Tracy Edingfield Dunn (Adam) of Valley Center, KS, grandchildren Chauncy Hinshaw, Tessa Hinshaw (Jesus), Derek Dunn, Dylan Dunn, great-grandchildren Royce Manzano and Rayven Espinoza.

As we send Anna to Paradise, please tap into her generous, loving spirit, and share acts of kindness with others. She showed us that love is all that matters, and engendering joy in others is the best way to live.

We leave you with a few of her life lessons:

Look for the good in people—there’s something good in everyone.

Enjoy the beauty of the rose and don’t cry once it fades.

Don’t take anything for granted.

You can never say ‘I love you’ or ‘I’m proud of you’ too much.

Always offer food and drink to your guests.

Memorials may be made to:

Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice

313 S. Market

Wichita, KS 67202

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Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland

360 S. Lexington Rd.

Wichita, KS 67218