After a long and courageous battle with cancer, Vaughn D. Parker breathed his last breath, passed away, and was gathered to his people on February 26, 2013. Vaughn was born on August 1, 1961, in Crow Agency, Montana. He spent his childhood and teen years on the Crow Indian Reservation, living at St. Xavierand Fort Smith. It was during these years that he developed his passion for ridingmotorcycles and fishing for big trout. During the summers Vaughn and his brother Joe would swim in the irrigation ditch near their home and tear around the countryside surrounding St. Xavier on their mini-bikes. When the family moved to Fort Smith, Vaughn spent countless hours with his family, including his grandparents, parents, brothers, and sister, fishing and boating in Big Horn Lake and the afterbay of Yellowtail Dam where his father worked as a dam operator Vaughn graduated from Hardin High School in 1979. In high school, Vaughn was involved in school activities including sports and playing the trumpet. He then joined the U.S. Navy where he served his country as an electrician's mate from 1980 to 1984. He served aboard the USS Sylvania and was involved in actual combat when hisship carried American captives out of Grenada and was rammed by an enemyvessel. On another occasion the Sylvania took enemy fire off the coast ofLebanon. Vaughn received an Honorable Discharge from the Navy and returned to civilian life to embark on a prosperous and satisfying career as an electrician. Vaughn's son Jeremiah was born in 1981, of whom Vaughn was exceedingly proud. After his discharge from the Navy, Vaughn moved to Idaho Falls and began the Idaho Electrical JATC Training Program. Upon completing his apprenticeship he became a Journeyman Electrician member of the I.B.E.W. Local 449 Electrical Union and eventually held electricians licenses in Idaho, Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming. He worked at Nash Electric at I.N.E.E.L. and traveled all over the country doing commercial and residential electrical work. "A brother to hundreds through the electrical union." On December 9, 2000, Vaughn married Jodi A. Wenzel-Parker. They had a daughter, Cassandra Jo D. Parker, Cassie, who was born in 1998. She was the flower girl for their wedding and was daddy's girl. She was at his side when he passed. Vaughn Parker was a kind, loving, gentle and compassionate husband,father, son, brother, and friend. He had an excellent sense of humor and was quick to share a smile. He was an extremely hard worker, a very capable electrician, and generous with his time. Vaughn would happily lend a hand to anybody who needed it. He never shirked a duty, was cheerful in all weather, and was loved and respected by everybody who knew him. Vaughn was also a member of the Gros Ventre Indian Tribe. He was extremely proud of his Native American heritage and references to that heritage accompanied him in different ways throughout his entire life. He thoroughly enjoyed camping, hunting, fishing, four-wheeling, and barbecuing with his friends and family. He enjoyed every ride with his wife, Jodi, and especially enjoyed the trips his brother was able to go on. Vaughn was preceded in death by his mother, Carolynn Weinzetl. Survivors include his wife, Jodi Wenzel-Parker (Idaho Falls); his son, Jeremiah D. Parker (Uvalde,Texas); his daughter, Cassandra Jo D. Parker (Idaho Falls); his stepdaughter, Niki Kay Dial (Idaho Falls); his stepson, Jeffery Kemper (stationed at Gulfport, MS Naval Base); his stepson, Austen Kemper (stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC); his father and step-mother, Joe and Patsy Parker (Shelley); his brother, Joe Parker (Prineville, Oregon); his brother and sister-in-law, Brody and Nicole Parker (Logan, Utah); and his brother-in-law and sister, Roger and Denise Croft (Shelley). He is also survived by grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. Memorial services will be held at Christ The King Church, 1690 E. 17th Street, Idaho Falls, on March 9, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., under the direction of Coltrin Mortuary. In lieu of flowers please send donations to his daughter, Cassandra Jo D. Parker, KeyBank, 2655 E.17th St., Ammon, ID 83406. Any food donations for the luncheon should be taken to Christ the King Catholic Church Parish Hall by 10:30 a.m., the day of the service.