Homer Alaska - Obituaries

Longtime Anchor Point resident Josephine Parkinson, 63, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010, after a long battle with cancer. A celebration of life is at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, 2010, at the Anchor Point Senior Center. All are welcome to attend.

Josie, as she was known to her family and friends, died at the young age of 63 — "too young to die" as she put it.

Josephine was born in Anchorage, and lived in Anchorage and then Palmer, where she met and married Stanley Parkinson. They moved to a suburb of Chicago in 1964, where she gave birth to her son Kirt. After moving to Eagle River, where she gave birth to her daughter Sheri, and then to Bakersfield, the family moved to Anchor Point in 1972 to take up permanent residence. This is where she gave birth to her baby, Sam, a few years later.

Josie stayed in Anchor Point after she lost her husband in 1984. She was able to experience life as she wanted to. She loved horses, so she had a few. She loved dogs, so she had many. She loved cats, to the point that some people thought she was a "crazy cat lady." She was able to go out on the water in the big boats. Several summers, she tendered salmon in Bristol Bay on the F/V Last Frontier. She loved the beach and going to the Anchor River to fish. She enjoyed going across Kachemak Bay to get steamers and to dipnet for reds in China Poot Bay. Josie loved to go moose hunting, but she was only a spotter because she hated guns. Josie loved to read. Her favorite authors were Johanna Lindsey and Kathleen Woodiwiss. She was quite religious in her own way. She didn't go to church much, but she watched televangelist Joyce Meyers religiously. She quoted Joyce Meyers constantly and had a few favored sermons. She felt as though she had a close connection with her. Josie loved to play the piano. She tried hard to teach all of her grandchildren how to play. She wanted them all to learn and love music as she did. Last, but definitely not least, she loved Elvis Presley.

"Josie (Mom) was very strong willed as anyone who was around her would know. She had her faith and it was strong. When she was diagnosed with cancer, she prayed. She did not lose her faith or blame God. She didn't understand why this was happening, but she still had faith that God knew what He was doing. She fought the disease and beat it at first, and then it came back. When the doctors told her that it was terminal and she only had two weeks left, she said that 'was just stupid,' and being stubborn as she is, she stayed on earth for two and a half months. She just had to prove those doctors wrong, and she did.

"We all love you and miss you already Mom, but we know you are in a better place, happy and healthy," her family said.

Josie was preceded in death by her husband, Stanley Parkinson; mother and father Flo and Joel Rouse; foster parents Josiah and Lois Winklepleck; and parents-in-law, William and Reba Parkinson.

Josie is survived by her two younger sisters, Anna Keeton and Deborah Parr; her children, Kirt Parkinson, Sheri Phillips, and Sam Parkinson; son-in-law Steven Phillips; daughters-in-law, Jessica Parkinson and Cassie Parkinson; nephews, Billy Rouse, Eric Stuart and Anthony Stuart; nieces, Michelle Stuckwisch and Kim Dunn; and nine grandchildren, Phillip, Axel, Ashley, Kelsie, Geran, Sammy, Kris, Stanley and Lance.