January 31, 1927 – November 2, 2025_____________
Beloved wife, mother, daughter, grandmother and great-grandmother, Rita Lorraine (Gage) Parker, 98, was called home to heaven as she passed peacefully in her home on November 2, 2025 in Sumner, WA.
Rita was born January 31, 1927 at her home in rural Timber Lake, the third of seven children born to Clarence and Ida (Austin) Gage.
She, like her father and siblings, were members of the Miniconjou Sioux Indian nation of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.
She is preceded in death by her parents; siblings Cresentia, Beatrice, James, Veronica (Bonnie) and Kathleen; her husband Gordon; sons Daniel, Andrew, and Thomas; daughter Patricia; granddaughter Annette; great-granddaughter Ashley; and son-in-law Mike Searles.
Rita is survived by her sister Mary Lou Tkach; her children: Alyson, Timothy, William, Michael, Joel, Robert, Constance, Lorraine, Paul, John and Gerald; 40 grandchildren; 75 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.
Rita graduated from Timber Lake High School. She attended Haskell School in Kansas and took classes in business, shorthand and typing. One summer prior to graduation, Rita had the opportunity to visit Seattle and immediately fell in love with the mountains, the clean air and mild weather.
She met Gordon, while working in his brother’s drug store in Timber Lake. Gordon had just returned from serving in the Marine Corps during World War II. They were married on November 4, 1946, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Timber Lake. They moved to St. Cloud, MN as newlyweds. Gordon attended college and earned his teaching degree.
They had spent 53 years as a married couple when Gordon’s passed in March 1999.
Rita excelled in sewing, baking, canning, painting and gardening. She found time to take up golf and snow skiing. For years, Gordon worked two jobs in order to allow Rita to stay home and raise the family.
Rita formally entered the Boeing (Seattle plant) work force in 1967. She retired after 24 years. Rita was well known and respected for her work ethic and attention to detail.
In her lifetime, Rita experienced the Great Depression and Dust Bowl in the 1930’s, World War II in 1941-45, post World War II resettlement, the Civil Rights marches of the 1960’s, gas rationing in the early 1980’s, Y2K in 2000, the terrorist attacks on 9-11 and the dreadful impact of COVID. Throughout all of these events, Rita weathered them with uncharacteristic resilience, perseverance, love for country and faith. She valued her family and faith above all else.
A mass followed by a lunch and celebration of life will be held at St. Andrews Catholic Church in Sumner on Monday, November 24, 2025 at 11 am.
(John Parker’s address is 17124 38th St. NW, Lakebay, WA 98349.)