Barbara Parker
Rev. Barbara L. Parker (Hunter), age 84, was called to her heavenly home on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at Oak Hills Living Center in New Ulm, Minnesota. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 11:00 am at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Evan, Minnesota. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. The clergy will be Pastor Becca Krogstad. Interment will be at Home Cemetery in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. A luncheon at St. Matthew’s church will follow interment. Arrangements are with Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.
Barbara was born on December 12, 1941, to Wayne and (Lura) Ruth Hunter in Lincoln, Kansas. She lived on the Hunter family farm with her parents and two sisters until she graduated in 1959 from Lincoln High School in Lincoln, Kansas. She mentioned many times throughout her life that while living on the farm collecting eggs from the chickens was NOT her favorite chore.
Barbara had dreams of becoming a missionary but diverted to a college education. It took her many years, but she was able to complete her undergraduate studies in home economics and was a Registered Dietitian for several years at the Pratt Regional Medical Center in Pratt, KS. She loved being creative with recipes and was always learning new cooking techniques including homemade candies, crepes, seafood, home cooked meals and she prided herself with creating fancy table settings for meals. She had a large garden and canning tomatoes each summer was quite an adventure. She also had a huge strawberry patch that she expected her two kids to tend to each summer. Little did she know but eventually found out that her kids were decreasing the size of that strawberry patch little by little with a lawn mower, so we didn’t have to pick as many strawberries!
Barbara had a passion for reading as was evident by the number of books she had in her home and the piles of books she always checked out from the library. Trips to bookstores were frequent occurrences and the number of magazine subscriptions she had was staggering. And she read every one of them.
Despite all her interests in religion, reading, and cooking her greatest passion was genealogy. She spent most of her adult life charting and documenting family history amongst a variety of family lineages. She was extremely proud of her work as she was able to document family lineage back 42 generations to the Kings and Queens of England and France, William the Conqueror and Charlemagne.
Barbara lived most of her life in Iuka, Kansas. She loved small town living and the comfort of a tight knit community. She was a member of the Iuka United Methodist Church, was active in the United Methodist Women (UMW) group and was the church organist/pianist for many years.
Since her children were grown up and either on their own or in college Barbara followed her calling to change careers. She entered the Graduate Seminary of Phillip’s University in Enid, Oklahoma. She decided since she couldn’t become a missionary she would become a pastor. Barbara traveled each week back and forth from her home in Iuka to Enid for 3 years to complete this goal. Barbara graduated from Seminary with a Master’s degree in Divinity and became a United Methodist Pastor serving several communities in southern and western Kansas. She enjoyed this call and finally felt like she was really doing what she was meant to be doing.
Barbara retired from the ministry in 2002 and moved north to Evan, MN to be near family. She resided in Evan, Sleepy Eye, and New Ulm, MN until her passing.
Barbara is survived by her children, Dwight (Patty) Parker of Blue Springs, MO and Deborah (Dan) Alt of Morgan, MN; 3 grandchildren, Christopher Parker (Brittney Harris) of Blue Springs, MO, Tyler Parker (Savannah Stout) of Hays, KS and Timothy Alt of Morgan, MN; 3 great grandchildren, McKenna Parker, Ayla Parker, and Adykahn Parker all of Hays, KS; her two sisters, Marilyn Foard of Amarillo, TX and Ruth Ellen (Vernon) Bartels of Baldwin City, KS; and two nephews, Jeffrey and Douglas. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother-in-law, David Foard; and nephew, Orin.
In lieu of flowers please consider donating to your favorite local library.
