Barbara Janese Parker, 84, formerly of Columbia City, passed away at 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 14, 2016, at Hendricks Regional Hospital, Danville. Born July 17, 1931, in Fort Wayne, she was the daughter of Kedric and Ruth (Osborn) Lankford.

Barb grew up around Columbia City and lived her entire life in the area until this past March when she moved to Plainfield. She graduated from Columbia City High School with the Class of 1949 and went on to attend Sullins College in Bristol, Va. On Oct. 7, 1955, she married Donald E. Parker. She had worked at Wolf and Dessauer Department Store and Perfection Bread Company in Fort Wayne, and Chamberlain Products’s in South Whitley. After raising her children and having her youngest daughter start school, she went on to work for the next 23 years as an Administrative Assistant at her church, Columbia City United Methodist Church, retiring in 1994. She also was a member of the Happy Homemakers Extension Club and Delta Theta Tau Sorority.

Survivors include her husband of 60 years: Don Parker, Plainfield; children: Mark (Tam) Parker, Columbia City; Daniel (Roselynn) Parker, Centerville, Texas; James (Gerri) Parker, South Bend; and Rev. Julie (Kevin) Macy, Plainfield; 11 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her father: Kedric Lankford; mother: Ruth Bohling; step-father: Earl Bohling; and an infant daughter: Sheryl Lynn Parker.

Visitation is from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Friday, June 17, at DeMoney-Grimes, a Life Story Funeral Home, Columbia City. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, June 18, at the funeral home with Pastor David Arnold officiating. Burial will follow at South Park Annex Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be given in her memory to Columbia City United Methodist Church.