July 26, 2010 |
| BOB & JEANETTE MARCY |
Congratulations to Bob & Jeanette on their 42nd wedding anniversary!!! (July 26, 1968 - Las Vegas, NV)
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July 24, 2010 |
| NORMAN "RED" MARCY |
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July 24, 2010 |
| BOBBY MARCY |
PARKER HOME BAKERY - OPENING DAY 1951
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July 24, 2010 |
| "PARKER HOME BAKERY" |
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Norman "Red" & Mary Marcy
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Whenever I run into friends from Parker, we always seem to just reminisce and reflect on the past. Recently a few of us were recalling the different school chums whose families owned their own businesses in Parker, i.e., Parker Theatre, Branding Iron Cafe, Haile's Barber Shop, Johnson's Western Wear, Norris' Market, to name a few.
On my way home, I began to think of these people, where are they now, what was it like for them in Parker back then? I set out to find them. One that immediately came to mind was the "Parker Home Bakery" owned by the Marcy family. Knowing that Bobby Marcy lived in the Scottsdale area, I contacted him and invited him to our home. I asked him to start from the very beginning. He did.
"My parents, Norman "Red" and Mary Marcy were married on May 25th, 1940 in Minneapolis, MN. My dad had lived in Columbia Heights, MN since birth; Sept. 1, 1906. He worked as a dining car cook for the Chicago & Northwestern Railway, as a cook for the Log Cabin Cafe and owned and operated the Taxi Cafe in Columbia Heights for two years. He also worked as an assistant store manager and meat department manager for the Kassler Food Market in Columbia Heights."
"Red", as my dad was called, joined the Navy in June of 1942 as a "Ship's Cook First Class". He was honorably discharged in October of 1945. They had three children: Norma was born in 1943, I was born in 1945, Kathleen "Babe" in 1946. All of us were born in Minneapolis, MN.
"We moved to Arizona in December of 1950 due to dad's health reasons, chronic pneumonia and weak lungs being at the top of his health problems.
(Bobby shared that it wasn't until they were older did they learn that their dad's prognosis at the time was not good). However, dad's look on life was different, both mom and dad were hard working and generous people; they loved Parker and had many friends. He healed and opened the "Parker Home Bakery in 1951 on Arizona Avenue next to First National Bank a few years later. It was moved for the last time across the street from the current Basha's Grocery store on Kofa avenue. Growth was the main reason for these moves."
Bobby is proud to say that his dad was the pioneer of getting the Elk's Club in Parker. He was the first "Exalted Ruler" of the Elks Club, and still has his dad's membership cards. When you see it you can see the number "1" in the upper left hand corner of the blue membership card. The other card shows that he was a charter member. He was a great influence in getting a public library in Parker, where he served on the board of directors. He was also a major influence in raising money money to get TV reception in Parker. Asked him how it was that Mr. Turk became what we all called, "The Antenna Man", he replied, "I'm not sure other than he had the great technical ability to do the job.
I asked Bobby what his role was in the family business. He replied that he always walked to work and that his dad would let him in the back door. He continued, "My dad worked 10-12 hour days. On holidays; days with special orders (weddings, anniversaries, etc.) or when dad was not feeling well, I would go in with him and help out." He stated that his sisters, Norma and Kathy "Babe" frosted cakes and cupcakes. They also would fry doughnuts when needed, frosted sweet rolls, and set everything out in the display counters. They took turns working the front counter waiting on customers after school. Mom would work the front counter during the day. I asked him if they ever hired from outside the family, and he replied that Kay Biro, Dart Hunter and a few others, also worked the bakery.
I asked him who their main customers consisted of; the public, restaurants? He replied that about 95% of baked goods were sold over the counter to customers coming off the street. The rest were special orders. He explained, "For example, we would get special orders for several dozen rolls or loaves of bread for the Lions Club or Elks Club functions. As a side note, we would also let the Elks Club or any other charitable organization come in and use our ovens at no charge to bake several turkey's, hams or other items at one time once the daily baking was completed for the special holiday dinners.
Were you open on Sundays, I asked? He stated that they were open Monday through Saturday. He also mentioned his dad would always leave the back door open for friends who wanted to drop by for a visit. "He always had a pot of coffee going and enjoyed the company." Bob continued, "The railroad engineers would often come in early and dad would fix them breakfast before they started work. That was how I managed to catch a free train ride into Phoenix during my teenage years for my orthodontic check-ups."
Bobby's oldest sister Norma, lives in Mesa and has two children; Stephen who lives in Mukilteo, Washington and Stacey who also lives in Mesa. Norma married Ken Hudzietz (deceased) who was part of the army training group that was in Parker in the mid-60's. Kathy "Babe" married Roy Wigley and reside in Payson. They have three children who all live in the Phoenix area: Louis, Douglas and Jessica.
Bobby recalled the first day they arrived in Parker in December 1950. They moved in with his Uncle Nordeen and Aunt Lillian Thompson who owned a set of apartments located on the corner of Laguna Avenue and Agency Rd. Directly across from them lived Pete Blake and "Shorty" Hines. He said that the first person he met was Pete Blake who came over while he was getting out of their car and asked if he wanted to play. From that day forward they were friends. As a matter of fact, he stated that the late Pete Blake, Paul Solper, the late Billy Holt and "Muggie" Fuqua were classmates from first grade through high school. When I asked him if Bill Hildebrand was in this group of friends he replied, "He didn't arrive in Parker until 1959 which would have been 8th grade for us. His dad (Dr. Hildebrand) was the local doctor."
Bob left Parker after graduating from Parker High school in 1963; served four years in the Navy and then settled in Casa Grande as an investigator for insurance companies. He toyed with a coin collection hobby that bloomed into a comfortable lifestyle for him. He married Jeanette Vasarhely who was also raised in Parker. Jeanette's parents owned "Bob's Hardware & Appliance" back in the day. They have a son Brian, wife Karen and twin grandchildren, Emma and Jack who are 8 years old. They also have a daughter Julie who is married to Jeremy Thompson.
I always like to ask, "If you could, what would you change?" When asked, Bobby said, "Nothing, I loved growing up in Parker. We spent a lot of time fishing on the Colorado River, no regrets." Yet, as he goes along his life, everything he does is with careful thought. His day is well planned and meaningful. He still follows that golden rule in which he was raised. "Time to make the donuts!"
"Red" and Mary Marcy closed the bakery in the early 1970's and retired to Yuma. Red passed away on December 3, 1980. Mary passed away on September 1, 1984. They are both interred at the Parker Cemetery and are both very much a part of Parker's history.
Written by: Dina Saucedo Dover
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June 9, 2009 |
| Mrs. Ava Miller - PHS Custodian 1956-1969 |
Mrs. Ava Miller (Aunt Kinnie)
As I dialed her number I couldn’t help but wonder, will she even remember my family? Will she remember me? Then that familiar cheerful voice greeted me, “Hellooo!” I quickly replied, slightly stuttering, “Mrs. Miller, I don’t know if you remember me but, I use to live in Parker, my name is Dina Saucedo, now Dover.” She asked, “Is this you, Enedina?” What an amazing lady, not only did she remember my birth name but, she remembered my whole immediate family. I asked if I was calling at a bad time to which she quickly replied with laughter, “No, I’m just sitting here listening to the news. That’s what old people do you know.”
For the next couple of hours, Mrs. Miller took me way back in the past. She was born Ava Kathryn Johnson. In the Parker community she fondly became known as Aunt Kinnie, by most adolescents; related or not. Mrs. Miller who is the daughter of the late George and late Ava Johnson, was born in Wortham, Texas. Her father was a renowned traveling Evangelist of the Pentecostal Church of God In Christ. I could hear the love in her voice as she recalled as a young girl riding a bicycle in her neighborhood, she met who would become the man of her life, Mr. Willis Miller a.k.a Buddy. She went on to explain, “As kids, Buddy’s family lived across the street from my family in Phoenix.” With laughter of tinkling bells, and surely a smile on her face, Mrs. Miller shares that Buddy so wanted to be with her that he went to church just for the privilege of walking her home. Neither of them imagined that one day Buddy would become a minister. (Lily of the Valley) She stated that when Mr. Miller was a baby, his father died, therefore was raised by his mother and older siblings, O. C. Miller, Artelia Jackson, (Married to Sidney Jackson Sr.) & Ruth Tarkington. She explained, “The Willis’ family eventually moved to Parker so he talked me into leaving Phoenix to live near his family.”
Mrs. Miller recalls her arrival in Parker, “It was pitiful!” “After living in the big city of Phoenix, I wondered, what is this man bringing me to?” Buddy took me to Moody’s Cotton Camp, located where the food bank is now on Geronimo.” She explained, “Girl it was awful! There was no running water, no private showers, I had to use an outhouse, it was rough!” She reminded me that this was the era of the Bracero Movement. For those of you that don’t know, the Bracero Movement involved allowing Mexicans from Mexico into our country to work for a certain amount of time. The Mexicans lived in camps similar to this. When their time was up, they would be transported back to Mexico. Mrs. Miller recalls this being a fruitful time for the USA. Mrs. Miller talked about the mixture of races and cultures who lived peacefully at the cotton camp but a whole lot went on that didn’t agree with her. With a hearty laugh she says, “we’ve come a long way baby!”
Mrs. Miller started working at Parker High School 1956. In 1969 she hurt her back and was forced into retirement. She described that the daily work was mostly routine. However, during summer break, that was a different story. I asked how she hurt her back. “I was doing a man’s job.” Mrs. Miller described her duties; “we swept, we mopped, Willis and Jessie Silva would strip the floors on the gym and we would re-wax and re-seal. We would turn the desks upside down and take you alls old gum out of it. We painted floors, you name it. We just took care of business!”
Mrs. Miller doesn’t recall any major problems from us, the high school students. She stated that in most cases, we were well behaved, with her. But, there were a few pranks yet remembered. I’ll mention two. A couple of young men, whose names we won’t mention, took Mrs. Miller’s cleaning cart while she was cleaning. She said she knew she had to find these young men and be firm. Upon locating them, she made them push her cart back to the room she was cleaning and during the escort back, she scolded them the entire way. Another incident, and again no names mentioned, someone drank a bottle of wine then stuck the empty bottle in the toilet tank. The principal was not happy! An assembly was held on this issue. Ahem!
It is awesome how Mrs. Miller can yet recall who came and who left PHS. She recalled many of the past teachers, Mrs. Witzleben; Typing, Mr. Brennan; English, Ms. Hubbard; P.E and Mrs. Baldridge; Home Economics, to name a few. She reminded me that Mr. Baldridge ran a newsstand located between the then Post Office and Finley’s Jewelry store. As she mentioned her children, she replied, “Enedian, can you imagine I have a sixty (60) years old child, Michael? Then there is Jackie, Reba, Lillian, Bob, and Timmy all born in Phoenix. Wayne was born at home with his Aunt Tessie Jackson the midwife. Dr Hilderbrand delivered Wilma at the Parker Medical Center.
With a hint of sadness, Mrs. Miller spoke quietly of her late husband Willis. Over the years he became Uncle Buddy to many, family or not. She explained how badly he was in need of a kidney. One night on November 14, 1994, he woke her and explained that son Bob was driving him to Phoenix as a kidney was available for his transplant. Mrs. Miller stated that all the kids had offer their Daddy a kidney but, he refused as he didn’t want them to experience his hardship should his illness be hereditary. The kidney transplant was successful however; Mr. Miller caught pneumonia and never returned home. He passed from this live January 5, 1995. Many have spoken of how beautiful his funeral was. Many came from near and far to give their last respects to Willis Miller (Uncle Buddy).
The late Mr. Miller and Mrs. Miller are still highly spoken of in many circles. So many recall their unselfish acts of kindness and ready availability in helping people. They never asked for anything in return, neither regretted nor boast of their wonderful deeds.
In closing, I asked Mrs. Miller for her opinion of Parker, then and now. She replied, “In the first place they (Buddy’s family) bought me here and now they are all gone. I have seen the rise and fall of Parker but, there is no place else I’d rather live. I’ve been here so long that no one bothers me. I have lived in the same house for so long that if there are changes to be done, the City moves around me. I guess you can say I am just set in my ways.” She is so young at heart and young looking, I honestly felt I was interviewing an old classmate.
When asked how she would like to be remembered, she explained. “I like people and when I meet people I enjoy talking to them, does not need to be personal, just greet them, you know have a conversation, talk.” I guess I just want people to remember “I don’t meet strangers.”
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March 6, 2009 |
| Things to know about 'Dina' |
Dina reflects back on those who were an important makeup of Parker High
Dina Dover (Saucedo)
I was born in El Paso, TX. moved to Parker when I was five years old. At that time there were only 8 of us. Dora, Elvira, Gus, Yolanda, Irma, myself, Sally and Edward. We arrived in October, my first year for school. I remember very clearly mom telling me that I could not go to kindergarten because school would soon be over and that I might as well wait until next year. I remember being extremely upset. But I said nothing; because she would pinch me. Truth of the matter was that we had no money for shoes. Since that day I hate zapatos. I must have 100 pairs, yet on any given day when you visit me I will be barefooted.
As we settled in Parker, mom and dad had 6 more children. Sandra, Delia, Lillian, Jaime, Javier and Martha Lee. I should have graduated from Parker High in 1965, but I took some time off to have my son Ricky, now deceased, born in January 1964, I graduated in 1966. Shortly after graduation I moved to Phoenix, met my husband, Alan Dover, married in 1968, we divorced, then remarried; some people are just a little slow to learn. We have a daughter, Tamara (Tami), three grandkids, Ricky, Daryl, and Maria Elena.
Life in Parker for us was just wonderful! We were poor, some times when I think back to those days I wonder how dad and mom ever made it with all of us. They taught us not to despair. They had very distinct rules and demands that we knew to obey. They weren’t strict, yet by no means, they weren’t easy to fool either. My mother, especially, groomed us to grow up and be respectful. She used to always tell us “If you want to be successful, first you must learn to be respectful.” I never could figure out how it was that I succeeded in life.
Mother loved people I guess that’s where I picked it up. I was always all over Parker, visiting and talking to people, some may call it a snoop, not so, because I never told. I would call it more like ‘Jessica Fletcher.’ People have always interested me, more so than monetary/material things.
I hope that you enjoy my segment, about us, the people of Parker.
I dedicate this work of love, “Reflections”, to the memory of my parents, Gustavo Sr. and Richi Saucedo.
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March 6, 2009 |
| Where Are They Now? - Coach Thurman Simmons |
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COACH THURMAN SIMMONS
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I was scheduled to meet with him to talk about his triumphs and disappointments in life. When I finally caught up with him, nothing went as planned per the interview.
I showed up at his house, in Northwest Phoenix, February 12, 2009 at 6:30 P.M. He met me at his front door, with the enthusiastic greeting, “Hi Dina, come on in.” I had not seen Mr. Thurman Simmons since June 1966, yet there he stood, just like I remember him, cool, calm, confident, just as down to earth as ever. What a relief I felt, to be so welcomed and immediately put at ease. Suddenly, schedules, dead lines, triumphs and disappointments were no longer important. The interview turned into a visit, everything fell into place, just as smooth as one could hope for.
One would think that life for Mr. Simmons began when he arrived in Parker in 1959, but, not so. He was born in Plainview, TX. It was just he and his mother, no complaints nor regrets of his youth. He attended several schools in West Texas, then moved on to Lovington, NM where he completed High School. He then graduated from Highlands University, located in Las Vegas, NM, where he met Carolyn, his wife now of 54 years. He played football at Lovington High School and Highlands University.
When asked, “Why Parker?” He replied, “For a job, just needed a job.” He then explained that his first teaching/coach job was in Weed, NM. He was the line coach at Farmington, NM when he decided to venture on a possible position elsewhere as head coach. Therefore, he sent out resumes, Parker High School was on the list, but he received no replies.
One Spring day out of the blue he received a call from a Mr. Emmett Sims. He recalled Mr. Sims asking, “Are you still interested?” He answered “Yes!” It seems that Mr. Sims would not hire anyone prior to their visiting Parker, and experiencing the heat. Mr. Simmons drove that very weekend from Farmington to Parker, alone, in a black ‘57 ford, no A/C. On his way, Mr. Simmons recalled the warning about our weather, yet as he drove, the desert appeared beautiful and exceptionally green . The following year he realized that, on occasion, it is possible for Parker to get a particularly cool Spring. Lucky for Parker High School.
Mr. Simmons left Parker in 1969, he had led Parker High School in 5 Divisional Championships in football and one championship in baseball. Next stop was Holbrook, where he recruited Ray Dowdy, Pete Blake and Jimmy Simms, as his assistant coaches. One can only imagine the spirit in Holbrook with this combination. He won 3 Division Championships at Holbrook. Then he moved on to Tolleson High School, in Tolleson, AZ, where he won 3 more Division Championships before he retired in 1988. After retiring from public schools in 1988 he taught U.S. Constitution and Arizona Constitution for 16 years at the University of Phoenix.
Some of you I am sure remember Mrs. Simmons. I never had the pleasure of meeting her while living in Parker. Some how they never asked me to baby sit, imagine that? She was a 2nd grade teacher, then known as Parker Grade School and Blake Grade school. She stated that one of her close friends in Parker was the late Mrs. Narda Dailey, mother of Janice & John Dailey and the late Michael Dailey. Mrs. Simmons shared the same fondness for Parker. She has had a couple of strokes and requires 24/7 care. They have been doing this for a few years, yet there is no sign of stress shown, their dedication to each other is so evident. They both look great
The Simmons children: Thom, the youngest son, single, lives in Phoenix. I had the pleasure of meeting him, what a handsome, polite young man. Ann, married has one child, lives in Lompoc, CA, Thad, married, has two daughters and a son, lives in Las Vegas, Kay, married, has 2 boys, stationed in Japan, her husband is a Colonel, an F-16 pilot and is 3rd in command in the Air Force in Japan. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons are very proud of the fact that all four of their children are college graduates.
In 1951, 52, 53, 54 Mr. Simmons served in the Air Force. In 1952 he played on the Air Force Japan Championship foot ball team. While stationed in Japan, he had the opportunity to teach basketball to a group of young High School Japanese men. His daughter, Kay, stationed in Japan, looked up the young boys and met up with 3 of the them, they are now 72 years old. Unfortunately, this past November (2008) when Mr. Simmons, visited Japan, he was not able to visit with them. One, a cloth manufacturer, was out of the country, the banker, was in the hospital and the third one, a commodities broker, was recovering from surgery, He visited the school, they had lunch, tea, pretty much rolled out the red carpet for his visit. He thoroughly enjoyed his stay. The visit brought back some happy memories.
They have lived in the same Northwest Phoenix neighborhood since 1978, they had considered moving to Sun City, but then realized, as he stated, “nothing there Dina, but old people like us”. Referring to himself, of course.
When asked what his overall view of Parker was, he stated that he found it easy to adapt to, that there were no color lines, no culture lines in Parker. He felt that we were all in it together. He was happy in Parker, and has many fond memories of the teachers, the students and the over all population there. I told him, I must ask you one last question, “ What radio station did you listen to.” Without a flinch or a thought he replied “KOMA,” out of Oklahoma City, OK. Those of you that have shared your fond moments, memories and what have you, feel free to contact him, and feel free to comment on this interview.
You can Google Mr. Thurman Simmons, and learn more. In 1984 he was elected a charter member of the Arizona Coaches Hall of Fame, this consists of 26 coaches picked from all sports. In 2001 he was inducted into the National High School Coaches Hall of Fame. These are both lifetime achievement awards. Mr. Simmons credits the players in Parker for being a big part of any awards he has received.
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2010
BOB & JEA...
2009