Stonnie Ray Parker, Jr.
Stonnie Ray Parker, Jr. was born on August 23, 1947 in Trigg County, Kentucky. He was the oldest of three children born to Stonnie Ray Parker, Sr. and Edith Marie Sumner Parker. Stonnie, Sr. was a farmer and a captain for the Kentucky State Penitentiary. Marie was a descendant of Perry Thomas.
Stonnie Ray’s siblings were Toni Renia Parker, born in 1962 and died at birth and Teresa Elaine Parker, born in 1964 and married Kerry Eugene Outland.
Stonnie Ray grew up in Trigg County and attended Cadiz Graded School and went on to graduate from Trigg County High School in 1965. He attended Murray State University for three years before transferring to the University of Kentucky where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in civil structural engineering in 1970.
On Christmas Day, December 25, 1965, Stonnie Ray married Richard Belenda Ellis at a ceremony conducted by the Rev. Charles Hightower at the Cadiz Christian Church in Cadiz. Belenda was born on October 2, 1949 and was the daughter of Richard Lee Ellis and Evelyn Griffith Ellis. Richard was a native of Trigg County and Evelyn was a native of Caldwell County, Kentucky. This marriage ended in divorce.
After graduation from college, Stonnie Ray was employed by the State of Kentucky, Department of Highways in Lake City, Kentucky as a structural engineer. He had become a resident engineer for the department and one of his projects was to oversee the construction of Interstate 24 through Western Kentucky.
On Saturday afternoon, August 11, 1973, Stonnie Ray was riding a motorcycle on Highway 139 about three miles north of Cadiz. As he was approaching a curve, Stonnie Ray suddenly lost control and the motorcycle skidded for some distance and then left the highway and struck a tree. Emergency vehicles were dispatched to the scene and Stonnie Ray was rushed to the Trigg County Hospital. Stonnie Ray died approximately 45 minutes later at 4:30 p.m. at the hospital from his injuries.
Stonnie Ray, Jr. was 25 years old at the time of his death. He was buried in the Trigg Memory Acres cemetery in Cadiz.
Stonnie tombstone
LINEAGE: (Stonnie Ray Parker, Jr. was the son of Stonnie Ray, Sr. and Edith Marie Sumner Parker and the grandson of Eulis Otho and Cordie Rene Futrell Sumner. Eulis was the second child of William Lowery and Mary Jane Thomas Sumner. Mary Jane was the seventh child of Rufus King and Alvie Adeline Dunn Thomas. Rufus was the fifth child of Perry and Elizabeth Josephine Bridges Thomas. Perry was the third child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)
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