Kathleen "Kay" Parker

Kathleen “Kay” Paddock Parker passed into her heavenly life January 25, 2021, at the age of seventy-six, after fighting ovarian cancer for over five years.

Kay was born and raised a Texan and has lived in College Station for over forty-one years, with her husband, Steve, to whom she has been married fifty-five years. She was born in Austin, TX, the child of Virginia Baker Paddock and Harold Joseph Paddock. She grew up cheering the Longhorns, but quickly became an “Aggie for life,” when Steve took her to her first Texas A&M football game.

Kay began her career in the nonprofit field in 1984, beginning as a Smoke Stoppers and Be Trim instructor with Scott & White Hospital, followed by working at BVCASA (Brazos Valley Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse) as the Director of Prevention Services. She retired as the Vice-President of Community Impact at United Way of the Brazos Valley in 2011.

Kay was responsible for the development and implementation of the 2-1-1 Texas Information and Referral system in Bryan/College Station and the Brazos Valley 7-county area. For her work at the local, state, and national levels promoting and advocating for 2-1-1, she received the Clare B. Rothmeyer Award from TAIRS (Texas Association of Information and Referral Systems), and the Public Citizen of the Year Award from the National Association of Social Workers, Brazos Valley. She served on the AIRS (Alliance of Information & Referral Systems) National Accreditation Site Review Team for ten years. And, during her tenure with her non-profit work, she also attained her LCDC (Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor) and worked for twenty-five years in the substance abuse field.

Kay was a member of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, where she served on the Vestry, Altar Guild, and as Chair of the Outreach Commission. In addition to serving her community through her church, Kay volunteered as a Docent at the George Bush Presidential Library, as a Board Member of the Brazos Valley Community Action Agency, as a member of the Community Development Block Grant Joint Review Committee for the City of College Station, and as Election Judge for the City of College Station. Kay was also an alumnus of both Leadership Brazos and Leadership Texas.

Kay valued her faith, family, and her friendships throughout her life, always celebrating holidays and birthdays throughout the year with family. She and Steve were fortunate to be able to travel, visiting eleven countries, numerous cities, as well as National Parks within the U.S., very often traveling with friends.

Kay is survived by her husband, Steve Parker and two beautiful children, Shannon Parker and Kyle Parker, both of College Station, TX. She has three wonderful grandchildren, Brandon Van Stavern, Carrollton, TX, Cole Parker, Courtney Parker, and two great-grandchildren Everly Grace Parker, and Paxton Wilkinson, all of College Station, TX. She is also survived by her cousins, Denny Mounce, Burton, TX, Shirley Gelineau, San Antonio, TX, and Karen Green, Williams, AZ.

There are four couples that have been fast friends that Kay would like to acknowledge that sustained, loved and counseled her and Steve for the most part of sixty years. They are Cindy and Buzz Campbell both deceased, Linda and John Rochner, Carol and Marvin Morris, and Gloria and Jack Mathews. All are forever friends among oh so many more.
The family would like to thank Dr. Charles Capen and his nurse Tina Nelson for their loving care and friendship at Baylor Scott and White in Temple, Hospice of Brazos Valley (Especially Natalie Garcia) and St. Thomas Episcopal Church of College Station.

“You’re in my heart, you’re in my soul; you’ll be my breath should I grow old; you’re my lover, you’re my best friend; you’re in my soul”

Steve

From Rod Stewart’s “You’re in my heart”