Vernon Parker

VERNON PARKER, 78 of Gering, former longtime Madrid resident, passed away Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at Scottsbluff Care and Rehab in Scottsbluff.

Vernon was born March 16, 1939 at Brule, Nebraska to Omar and Esther (Bauer) Parker. He attended school in Brule before graduating from Big Springs High School.

On October 22, 1961, Vernon married Sharon Lee at Madrid. Their union was blessed with 4 children, Sandra, Kathryn, Ronald and Vicki. In 1968, the family moved to Madrid where they built a sizable farming operation. They eventually started a painted horse farm, where they bred and raised many award winning horses. In the early 1990's Vernon and Sharon moved from Madrid to Kansas after a tumultuous few years in the sugar beet industry. The couple eventually moved to the Scottsbluff area where he worked in farm management before going to work for a fertilizer hauling company. He then went to Aulick Leasing to haul sugar beets for processing.

Vernon was a lover of horses, especially his special award winning stallion My Painted Robin. He loved agriculture, westerns and Nebraska football and volleyball. He was a devoted father and husband, and cultivated the bonds of family through his passions in farming and working with horses.

Vernon was preceded in death by his parents; 3 sisters, Vivian Lehn, Velma Rice and Dee Swanson; 2 brothers, Darold Parker and Allen "Dale" Parker.

Survivors include his wife, Sharon Parker of Gering; 3 daughters, Sandra (Kevin) Olson of Longmont, CO, Kathryn (Adam) Curtis of Madrid, Vicki (Matthew) Chandler-Smith of Grant; son, Ronald (Natalia) Parker of Monument, CO; 19 grandchildren; sister, Ann (Clark) Varnum of Cheyenne, WY; along with many other relatives and friends.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at the Madrid United Methodist Church. Interment of cremains will follow in the Grant Fairview Cemetery.

Bullock-Long Funeral Home of Grant is in charge of arrangements.