Thomas Family
Beatrice Ida Thomas Parker
Beatrice was born May 24, 1892, in Burleson County, Texas.
Beatrice Ida Thomas pictured first and third with friend (second and fourth).
Beatrice was a schoolteacher. She received her B.A. & M.A. from Southwest Texas State University, and did refresher work at the University of Southern California.
Nonnie and Beatrice Thomas in 1951.
She married LL Fox Parker on June 14, 1911, in Hix, Burleson, Texas.
Parker-Thomas.
Last Wednesday evening in the Baptist Church at Hix, Rev. L.F. Parker and Miss Ida Beatrice Thomas were united in marriage by Rev. W.S. Lackey, there being in attendancce a large crowd of friends and relatives of the contracting parties. The bride is the lovely daughter of Sidney Thomos [sic] of that community where she is well known and has a large circle of friends while the bridegroom is pastor of the Baptist church at Paris, Texas, he having formerly been a resident of this county where he has many friends. They left the next day for points in Alabama and will be at home to their friends in Paris after the first of July.
Burleson County Ledger, Caldwell, Burleson Co., Texas, Newspaper, Center for American History, Austin, Texas, 23 Jun 1911, p. 1.
Front row: Charles Sidney, Elizabeth, James Lee Thomas.
Back row: Beatrice, Nonnie, Stydie, and Emma Thomas.
Photo courtesy of Kathryn Barnes.
Beatrice was named Lady Senior Citizen of Fayette County for 1973 and October 24, 1976 was declared Mrs. L.L.F. (Beatrice) Parker Day.
HIGH HONOR PAID TO MRS. L.L.F. PARKER
On Oct. 24, members of the Muldoon Baptist Church observed a special day in honor of Mrs. L.L.F. (Beatrice) Parker. A tribute to Mrs. Parker, entitled “This Is Your Life,” was read. A copy of the tribute follows:
“We, the members of the Muldoon Baptist Church, declare this, the 24th day of October, 1976 ‘Mrs. L.L.F. (Beatrice) Parker Day.’ We name her an outstanding citizen, church member, and Christian. On this sabbath day, we wish to, along with the worship of our Lord and Saviour, recognize Mrs. Parker as a Child of the King.
“Mrs. Parker, 83 years of age, last May, was born in Frameville, which was later changed to Hicks, Texas, in Burleson County.
“When a very young girl Mrs. Parker read something in the Bible that she didn't like. It was where Paul said that wives should submit themselves unto their husbands and Titus said that wives were to be obedient to their husbands. She decided that she would handle that situation by just never being married.
“She taught school, at the age of 14 years, for 4 months as assistant to her brother-in-law. When she was 15 years old she was hired to teach in the Hicks School. She taught her own brothers.
“She took and passed the State Exam and received a teacher's certificate and taught 4 years. She paid room and board for herself and her sister while they attended San Marcos Normal.
“But, during this time, along came a young preacher who held a revival in the community where she was teaching. Laughing, she says, ‘Of all people, a preacher, and there I was not being able to agree with the Bible.’ He proposed but told her that he didn’t want her answer then. He wanted her to think and pray and answer when he came back at Christmas. She did. And what she said, “Lord, if that’s what You want me to do, I guess I can. She married Brother L.L.F. Parker in 1911.
“Along with keeping the home fires burning, rearing 3 sons and a daughter--Bill, Martha, Fox, and Jake--she received her B.A. and M.A. Degrees in San Marcos and did refresher work at the University of Southern California. She taught school 27 years, 12 of these in the Flatonia Schools.
“Brother and Mrs. Parker came to Muldoon as pastor and wife of this church in May, 1942. They served and led this church 17 years, until his retirement.
“She and Brother Parker donated a lot and building for a Spanish Mission in Flatonia. She went every Sunday afternoon for more than 10 years and taught the Latin-Americans.
“In February, 1973, Mrs. Parker was able to realize a dream of a lifetime. She visited the Holy Lands at age 80. She walked where Jesus walked. After she returned home, on Thursday, April 26, 1973, she took her projector and drove to Flatonia and showed the films of the Holy Land to the Rotary Club and made her speech. She also showed them in our church.
“In May, 1973, she was named Lady Senior Citizen of Fayette County.
“Mrs. Parker has a broad understanding and keeps in touch with the affairs of the world. If she is ever tempted to ‘petty gossip,’ those of us close to her don't know it. She loves and is loved. She says, ‘I was a pastor’s wife, and I’m still a pastor's wife’.”
Her grandchildren and great grandchildren called her Gran. Gran died on October 23 1982, in Schulenberg, Texas, and was buried October 24, 1982, in Pittman Cemetery in Muldoon, Texas next to her husband.
“A TRIBUTE TO MY GRANDMOTHER”
by Elizabeth (Parker) Brown, Flatonia Argus, Oct. 7, 1982
Mrs. L.L.F. (Beatrice) Parker died on September 24, 1982. She was 90 years old. Mrs. Parker was an outstanding citizen, a patriotic American, a tender and compassionate person. She was my Grandmother and I loved her.
My Grandmother taught in Flatonia School System for 12 years and if you don't remember her from school, you'll remember her from many other activities she participated in around the Muldoon and Flatonia area.
She was born in Hicks, Texas, in 1892. She taught school at the age of 14 for 4 months as assistant to her brother-in-law. At age 15 she was hired to teach in the Hicks School. She even taught her own brothers.
She took and passed the State Exam and received a teacher's certificate and taught 4 years. She paid room and board for herself and her sister while they attended San Marcos Normal.
In 1911, she met and married my Grandfather, Brother L.L.F. Parker who was a Baptist minister. They had 3 sons and a daughter--Bill, Fox, Jake and Martha.
She received her B.A. and M.A. Degrees in San Marcos and did refresher work at the University of Southern California. She taught school 27 years, 12 of these in Flatonia.
My Grandmother and Grandfather moved to Muldoon in May, 1942. There she served as pastor's wife for 17 years until my grandfather retired from the ministry.
She and my Grandfather donated a lot and building for a Spanish Mission in Flatonia. She taught in this Mission every Sunday afternoon for 10 years.
In May, 1973, she was named Lady Senior Citizen of Fayette County.
I came to live with my Grandmother in 1959 and stayed with her until I graduated from school in Flatonia in 1961. She taught me to love the Lord and to remember that it's not what we think we should do for others that counts but that it is what we actually do for others makes life worth living. I saw her many times go out in the cold icy weather to see about a sick friend or to carry food to funeral gatherings. I saw her many times praying and in tears when she couldn't help someone and wanted to so bad. She reached out and touched lives everywhere she went. She was my grandmother and I loved her.
Beatrice’s Family Tree
Father
Sidney Byron Thomas
Mother
Louisiana Elizabeth “Birdie” Little
Husband
L.L. Fox Parker
Children
1. Martha Elizabeth Parker
(b. 1912 Texas d. 1988 Arizona)
m. Roland Milligan
2. William Barrum Parker
(b. 1913 Texas d. 1995 California)
m. Ruth Berg
3. Mary Beatrice Parker
(b. 1915 Texas d. 1917 Texas)
4. L.L. Fox Parker II
(b. 1917 Texas d. 1991 Texas)
m. Alice Fayrene Wernli
5. Thomas Edwin Parker
(b. 1920 Texas d. 1920 Texas)
6. James Jacob “Jake” Arnold Parker
(b. 1928 Texas d. 2001 Texas)
m. Willene Rightmer