William Edward "Wild Bill" Parker passed away peacefully in Idaho Falls, Idaho on Friday, April 12, 2019.  He was born in St. Anthony, Idaho on October 1, 1932 to Woodson Daniel and Helen Viola Spalding Parker.  He was the 2 ^nd of 6 boys and experienced a childhood that included living as far north as the Alaskan Frontier and as far south as Texas, but St. Anthony would always be home.  This gave him a life-long love of traveling and as a result, he was always up for a road trip or adventure.

After returning home from his US Army deployment to Korea during the conflict, he married Margene High and they were blessed with 8 children – Kona Smith, Danny Parker, Kevin (Barb) Parker, Lori (Norm) Cahoon, Darrin (LauraKay) Parker, Sheralee (Joe) Manley, Tiera Parker and Jade Parker.  Further buckets of fun included 19 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.

During their 26 year marriage, he was a teacher, logger, truck driver and eventually settled on plumbing like his father before him.  He and Margene owned and operated Parker's Inc. on Bridge Street for many years, which included her Hobby House and Parker's Plumbing.  You would often find him in the storefront window of the shop with his brothers and friends, holding their own jam session, as they were all quite musically talented.

In 1987, he married Donna Bailey and over the next 20 years they lived in Rexburg, Ashton, St. Anthony and Rigby.  After their divorce, the road was again calling his name, though, and he mostly lived the life of a snowbird until he was no longer able to travel long distances.

The family wishes to express their most sincere "THANK YOU" to Loralee Ricks.  As his best friend, caregiver, and travel companion, she made his last 10 years as comfortable and pleasant as they could have possibly been.  These years were spent taking frequent "day trips". Whether bouncing across the Yale Kilgore road or racing to Bozeman for lunch, he still got to see the sights he loved so much.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers: Gary, Ken and Herb, and his son, Kevin, along with one granddaughter, Vanessa Smith and one great-grandson, Briggan Mains.  He is survived by brothers: Laurence and Roy along with his 7 remaining children.

All are welcome to join the family in celebrating his life at noon on Saturday April 27 ^th at the St. Anthony VFW, 132 W 1 ^st N.  Military honors will be performed at 11:00 a.m., prior to the celebration at Riverview Cemetery in St. Anthony.