Dates

• Existence: 1926 - 2015

Biographical History

Rita Clement Parker (1926-2015) was a mother, club woman, and an amateur theatrical performer. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Clement was born July 4, 1926, in Menan, Idaho to Millie Selck and Horace P. Clement, the third of four children (Lila Steele, Horace Keith Clement and Phyllis Sanders) all now deceased. The family lived in Idaho Falls, Idaho; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Richmond, California before Rita enrolled at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, graduating in 1948.

At Brigham Young University she met Orin and formed eternal friendships with her college roommates. Throughout her life, the "Roomies" and "Roomeos" (Roomies' boyfriends, later husbands) continued their "Round Robin" letter writing and reunions. Rita acted in numerous BYU theatrical productions, many written or directed by Orin. They married February 20, 1951, in the Salt Lake Temple.

Starting life together in Washington, D.C., they soon moved abroad, living in Athens, Greece; Ankara, Turkey; and Baghdad, Iraq. Each of their five children was born in a different country, and only two were born on the same continent. The family returned to the D.C. area in 1965, living in Bethesda, Maryland, until relocating to Beirut, Lebanon, from 1971 to 1978. Orin and Rita returned to D.C. until their retirement and move to Oceanside, California, in 1988. In D.C. Rita worked for an ophthalmologist and later the American Society for Microbiology.

Wherever she lived, Rita actively involved herself in the local community, participating in theater and choral groups, tap dancing, and graciously hosting dignitaries and friends galore. As with her "Roomies," she formed and maintained everlasting friendships with (what to her family seemed) everyone.

She was president of the American Women's Club in Baghdad and served on the boards of the American Community School and American Women's Club in Beirut. In California, she was active in the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.

She served in various capacities as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including president of her ward's Young Women and Relief Society organizations. She and Orin hosted visiting Church leaders in Baghdad and Beirut. Following retirement, they served as missionaries in the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, and as ordinance workers in the San Diego Temple.

She passed away June 29, 2015, at home in Oceanside, California, five days shy of her 89th birthday and a year and a half following the death of her husband, Orin D. Parker.

Citation:

Legacy.com, accessed via WWW, September 14, 2016 (born July 4, 1926, in Menan, Idaho to Millie Selck and Horace P. Clement, the third of four children (Lila Steele, Horace Keith Clement and Phyllis Sanders), all deceased; lived in Idaho Falls, Idaho; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Richmond, California; enrolled at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, graduating in 1948; at BYU met Orin and formed eternal friendships with her college roommates, all continued "Round Robin" letter writing and reunions; acted in numerous BYU theatrical productions, many written or directed by Orin; married Orin February 20, 1951, in the LDS Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah; started life together in Washington, D.C., then moved abroad; lived in Athens, Greece; Ankara, Turkey; and Baghdad, Iraq; each of five children born in different country, only two born on the same continent; family returned to the D.C. area in 1965; lived in Bethesda, Maryland, until relocating to Beirut, Lebanon, from 1971 to 1978; couple returned to D.C. until their retirement and move to Oceanside, California, in 1988; worked for an ophthalmologist, later American Society for Microbiology; Rita always actively involved in local community, participating in theater and choral groups, tap dancing,and graciously hosting dignitaries and friends; formed and maintained everlasting friendships with seemingly everyone; president of the American Women's Club in Baghdad, served on the boards of the American Community School and American Women's Club in Beirut; in California, active in the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers; served in various capacities as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including president of Young Women and Relief Society; couple hosted visiting Church leaders in Baghdad and Beirut; following retirement, served as missionaries in the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, and as ordinance workers in the LDS Temple in San Diego, California; died June 29, 2015, at home in Oceanside, California, five days shy of 89th birthday and 18 months after her husband)

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