J. Rex Parker

James Rex (J. Rex) Parker
Jackson, MS

Mr. James Rex Parker of Jackson, MS passed away on Friday, August 7 at the age of 77 at Hospice Ministries In Ridgeland. He had suffered poor health over the past months and had been a resident at VA Nursing Home in Jackson for a short while. Mr. Parker, known to family and friends as “J. Rex”, was born in Sunflower, Mississippi on June 16, 1938 to the late Alfred Rex and Essie Mae Cannon Parker. He grew up in the Brooksville, Mississippi and attended Brooksville High School. He entered the United States Air Force at age 18 and, after his discharge, attended East Mississippi Junior College. He worked for several years for the Mississippi State Board of Health before continuing his education at Mississippi State University, from which he graduated in 1968. He was soon employed with the Federal Land Bank of New Orleans, with which he was affiliated for over twenty-one years. He and his wife, the former Jean Eaves, then moved to Tupelo, MS where he opened a staffing firm “Express Personnel” and later expanded the business with another franchise in Booneville, MS. In 2007, Mr. Parker divested himself of the business for health reasons and retired to Jackson, MS in 2012 to be nearer to their children. Mr. Parker was preceded in death by his parents, one brother: Bill Parker and in-laws Janie Eaves and Calvin Hull.

Mr. Parker leaves behind his wife of fifty-five years, Jean E Parker, of Jackson, MS as well as one son: Jim Parker, also of Jackson and one daughter: Priscilla Kemmerer of Madison MS. He also leaves to mourn his passing two sisters: Dot Holmes (Bob) of Fairhope, Ala. and Lynn Black (Ed) of Starkville, MS. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Sarah and Rex Parker of Brandon, MS and Andrew and Parker Kemmerer of Madison, MS.

James Rex Parker’s funeral service will be held on Saturday August 15, 2015 at 1:00 P.M. at Cockrell Funeral Home Chapel (3478 Jefferson Street) Macon, MS. Visitation will be held on Saturday from 11:00 A.M until 1:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Interment will immediately follow at Brooksville Cemetery. The family requests memorials be made to the Brooksville Cemetery Fund %Melanie Hines, 586 Hines Rd, Brooksville, MS 39739 or to Parkinson Foundation, 200 SE 1st St., Suite 800, Miami, FL 33131 or to your favorite charity.