Thelma Jean Parmer

Mrs. Parmer passed away Friday afternoon at Baptist Hospital - Covington.

A native of Hardeman County, she was the daughter of the late Eddie Franklin and Rosie Zelia Grantham Vales. She had resided in Memphis for 32 years, in Parsons 3 years and the last 6 years in Covington.

Mrs. Parmer has worked as a riverboat cook and was the first "meter maid" in Bolivar. She also served as dispatcher for the Bolivar Police Department for 10 years. A member of the Ebenezer Baptist Church near Toone, she enjoyed gardening, flowers, listening to gospel music and especially spending time with family.

She leaves two daughters, Deborah Sue (Terry) Newman of Adamsville and Donna Sue (Michael) Daws of Covington; two sons, Billy Wayne (Rita) Kirk of Middleton and James William Kirk, Jr. of Memphis; two sisters, Katherine Hall of Arlington and Bobbie Ann Squires of Bolivar; three brothers, Jerry (Margie) Vales of Toone, Franklin (Jeannie) Vales of Savannah, GA and Ronnie Vales of Poplarsville, MS; ten grandchildren, Bella Hughes, Adam King, Abigail Jones, Brandi Rose, Brant Newman, Brandon Parsons, Heather Bozi, Cody Kirk and Kaylie Kirk; and eleven great-grandchildren, Anna Baughn, Ava Creasy, Nathon, Nichalous and Nolan Hughes, Jaelyn Parsons, Whitney Cervantes, Mylie King, Kane King, Marciline Bozi and Aiden King.

Memorials may be sent to the Lupus Foundation of American (lupus.org)