We are sad to share that our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and wonderful friend has passed away after an adventurous and full life. Connie Parker of Eureka, was 86 years old, and she left us on January 10, 2025.

Connie was born March 16, 1938, in the family home on Crane Creek Road outside Potlatch, Idaho, to Alvin W. and Lilly A. (Johnsen) Bartlett. She was the eldest of the three Bartlett children. Her birth was followed by the birth of her sister, Louise, and the birth of the youngest Bartlett child, William (Billy). Billy was the only child who was not born in the home because by the time he arrived, there was a hospital available in town. Connie grew up on the farm on Crane Creek Road before plumbing was available in the home, and in the era of “party line” phones. The home had a hand-operated water pump at the kitchen sink, but otherwise, the outhouse was down the trail. Modern indoor plumbing was not added to the home until Connie’s high school years. The party line phone could be picked up by anyone along Crane Creek Road, and if someone was nosy, they could just listen in on the call from a neighbor … no need for social media to keep up on the neighbors in those days! It was many years later before party lines were no longer the norm. Connie adored her parents, her siblings, the farm she grew up on and the town of Potlatch, and in her later years she yearned to move back home.

Connie attended Potlatch High School, graduating in 1956. In her high school years, she was known as an accomplished musician and singer. Her beautiful singing even brought appreciation from her otherwise reserved father, who once gushed that she “squawks real good.” Her singing was also appreciated by the community, and she sang at local weddings.

Connie had three great loves during her life. After high school, she left Potlatch for a job with the federal government in Washington, D.C. While working in D.C., she met her first love, Air Force man Jerry Pavek. Like Connie, Jerry was a talented musician. They married, and daughter Chadine was born in New Jersey. Jerry was still in the Air Force, and the family was transferred to Elmendorf Air Force base in Anchorage, Alaska, where daughter Shannon was born. Connie remembered the long bright arctic nights trying to get the girls to sleep even though it was sunny outside.

After the Air Force, the family settled in Southern California, where Connie raised her girls without Jerry. While living in Southern California, Connie took a job with the U.S. Forest Service in Glendora. There she met her second great love, Chuck Hartley, who also worked for the Forest Service. They married and shared many wonderful years together, raising the kids and cultivating friendships with others working at the Forest Service. Although the marriage eventually ended, Connie and Chuck great remained friends and kept up with each other’s lives, their respective children and their careers.

In 1978, Connie requested a transfer to Eureka. Her plan was to hopscotch northward, eventually returning to Potlatch. However, after just a short time living in Eureka, she met and married her final great love, Ray Parker. She quit the Forest Service in order to work with Ray at Parker Electric. Ray and Connie loved to fish together in the ocean on their boat. Ray had a private pilot license and airplane, and they loved flying off on trips together.

When Connie found herself alone again in her later years, she joined the Elks Lodge in Eureka. She became a dedicated member and volunteered many, many hours serving people in the dining room. There she found lasting friendships and good times to brighten her days.

Connie was greatly loved and cherished by her children and grandchildren. Her home was always open for a wayward child or grandchild, and most of us stayed with her at one point or another. Her home, her love and her humor were always a warm port in the storm that we counted on. She had a great love for animals and until her final year, there was always a lucky dog or cat who wandered off the street and found a home living with her.

Connie is survived by her daughter Shannon Boyce (Glen Harrison) of Eureka, grandchildren Kelly VanHoorebeke (Travis) of Eureka, Jessica Wheeler (Brian) of Wasco, Oregon, Coral Richelderfer (Amy Davis) of Portland, Oregon, and great-grandchildren Sydney VanHoorebeke, Aidan Wheeler and Evan Wheeler. She is also survived by her sister, Louise Morbeck, of Pullman, Washington. She was preceded in death by her daughter Chadine Richelderfer, her brother Bill Bartlett, and her parents, Alvin and Lilly Bartlett. Lastly, she is also survived by Glo Negrette, whose assistance in the home made it possible for Connie to be there as much as possible.

A memorial toast to Connie’s life will be held at the Eureka Elks Lodge on February 16, 2025, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Sequoia Humane Society or to Hospice of Humboldt, which provided such comfort in her final days.