Mrs. Rena A. Parker
Mrs. Rena A. Parker, 87, of Ethel, passed away at her residence Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022. A funeral service was held at Hope Alive Church, 2044 Attala Road No. 1211, Kosciusko, on Monday, Nov. 21, 2022 at 11 a.m. Bro. Glen Ellington officiated at the service. Interment was held in Soule Chapel Cemetery near Macon, at 2 p.m. Monday. Visitation was held at the church in Kosciusko Sunday evening from 5 to 8 p.m. Memorials may be made to your local Salvation Army post. Cockrell Funeral Home was honored to be entrusted with the arrangements.
Rena Augustine was born in Berwick, Pennsylvania, on Feb. 2, 1935, to the late Oscar J. and Marie Wertz Augustine. She was a graduate of Berwick High School. She met SSGT. Glenn Parker Jr. of Macon, as he neared the end of his tour with the United States Air Force and they married soon after. They moved back to Mississippi and made their home in Columbus for several years. They then moved to Macon, where he worked for Southern Bell Telephone Co. and Rena worked at the local garment plant for many years. She also ran the city swimming pool in Macon for several years. She was a Certified Lifeguard and taught many of the local children how to swim in her swimming classes. Rena and Glen were always very active in their own children’s lives as they were growing up, and they always went everywhere and did everything together. The family moved to Preston, where they lived until Glen retired, at which point Rena and Glen began traveling with the MAPS program, a Christian ministry program that constructs or remodels church buildings. After many years, the MAPS program took them to Kosciusko, to upgrade and remodel parts of the Assembly of God Campground. Rena and Glen left the program there and became overseers of the Campground for three years. After retirement, they made their home in nearby Ethel. Rena was a devoted servant of Christ. Her first action each morning was to read her Bible, her devotional and then spend time in prayer for her family, friends, and others in need. Rena was a member of the Anchor Assembly of God Church in Carthage. She was also a talented artist who enjoyed all forms of needlework, ceramics and any type of arts and crafts.
Rena was preceded in death by her parents, husband: Glen D Parker Jr., and one son: Petty Officer 1st Class Vincent E. (Butch) Parker.
Rena is survived by her children Ruth Marie Hoskins, Glenn D. Parker, III, Andy C. Parker, Stephen Parker and John E. Parker; two sisters, Marqueen Noggle and Margie Fish; three brothers: Jim Augustine, George Augustine, and Wilbert Augustine; 11 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.
