Alice Dolores Parker

Alice Dolores Parker (nee Mahoney), beloved wife of the late Rear Admiral Harold Parker; mother of Claudia, Steven, Alison, Michelle, Harold III, Jacqueline and John “Chris” Christian, passed from this life on November 3, 2019 at age 89.  She is predeceased by her eldest daughter, Claudia (2012) and grandson David Beard (1988); and is survived by ten grandchildren: Ashley, Elizabeth, Gregory, Timothy, Meghan, Nicole, Leslie Ann, Christopher, Michael, and John; 4 grandchildren through marriage: Steven, Fallon, Kelly, and Shannon; and ten great-grandchildren.

Alice was born on June 25, 1930 in Staten Island, NY, the second of three daughters of John Joseph Mahoney and Melinda Agnes McGlone.  An eternal optimist, lively, cheerful and highly sociable, she was known by her family for her playful antics, sportiness and love of card games; a love she developed sitting on her grandfather Patrick's knee as a young girl.   She graduated from Curtis High School early in 1947, where she made many lifelong friends, including the girlfriend that would introduce her (via blind date) to her boyfriend's classmate and future husband, Howie Parker, a young and ambitious 3rd classman at the US Coast Guard Academy and to the vagabond life of a military spouse that would take her to all 50 U.S. states and 4 continents.

A superb and generous hostess with an eye for detail, Alice created warm and welcoming environments for family and friends.  Her tasteful aesthetic and artistic flare made her home and her parties the place "to be".   Gracious, caring, loyal, and opinionated, as only a New Yorker can be, she set the example and high standards for grace under pressure and provided the reassurance that despite any current difficulty, in the end everything would be okay.  A rock with soft edges, she lit up the room with her beauty, style and presence, and either energized or calmed depending on the situation.  Her devotion and compassion in tending to family members through tragedy and struggles with cancer, the loss of a child, divorce and failing health inspired and supported to keep them hopeful and engaged, when they would have otherwise given up.   In her daily living, she set an example to her children and grandchildren on the values of loyalty, perseverance, the importance of family and faith in God's enduring mercy.  

An enthusiast participant, she was an excellent bridge player and golfer, outgoing, fun to be around, competitive and always ready to offer her help which sometimes included golfing tips. Her affiliations across her long life included active involvement and memberships in USCG Wives Club, girl-scouts, PTA, golfing and several area bridge clubs.  She served as president of the Golf Committee at the Lakewood Country Club and was an active member of Potomac Woman’s Club, whose focus was on socializing, charity and volunteer work. Alice spent most of her volunteer time at the Montgomery County Thrift Shop and Hospice. She loved the theater, fashion, historical sites, decorating, and her faith - she rarely missed Sunday services or Catholic holy days and always stayed for coffee and donuts at church after mass.  She adored babies, saw the cup half full, the silver lining, and shone a light into dark spaces to show us the way through.  Heaven is lucky to have her!

Visitation will begin at 10am on Saturday, November 23, 2019 at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 15663 Norbeck Blvd, Silver Spring, MD 20906, where the Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11am.  Interment at Arlington National Cemetery on a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Montgomery Hospice, www.montgomeryhospice.org.