Mary Alma Parker

Mary Alma Cole Parker a resident Decatur, Georgia, and formerly a long-time resident of Charleston, South Carolina, died August 16, 2014. She was born September 4, 1932, in Memphis, Tennessee, the oldest child of Samuel Francis Cole and Mary Elizabeth Law Cole. She was a graduate of the Mississippi State College for Women (now Mississippi University for Women) in Columbus, Mississippi where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and classics. She received a Master of Arts degree from Rosary College (now Dominican University) in River Forest, Illinois. She was a teacher in elementary and high schools in Virginia, Illinois, Tennessee, and Georgia. She founded an operated St. Bede's Theological Library to assist men throughout the United States who were entering the Catholic priesthood. She was a talented textile artist, textile researcher and scholar, and collector of quilts. Many of her handmade quilts were selected for exhibitions both nationally and internationally through the years. She researched and wrote extensively about historical quilts and documented quilts and their makers in the southeastern United States, and enjoyed having her work published in a variety of textile and quilt journals and magazines. Her handmade quilts and those from her collection of antique and regionally historical quilts are now a part of the permanent collection of the Charleston Museum and regularly featured in the museum's textile displays. She was a member of the Cobblestone Quilter's Guild, South Carolina State Quilter's Guild, the American Quilt Study Group, the Rebecca Motte Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the South Carolina Historical Society, the American Philatelic Society, the Navy League, the Mariological Society of America, and the Order of the Holy Sepulchre. Survivors include her husband of 62 years, the Reverend James Parker, a native of Charleston, South Carolina, two daughters, Margaret Elizabeth Parker of Hapeville, Georgia and Clare Parker Butler of Decatur, Georgia, granddaughter, Katherine Veronica Butler of Decatur, Georgia, brother Samuel Francis Cole (Merrill Ann) of Memphis, Tennessee, Betty Cole Thompson (Charles) of McLean, Virginia, James P. Cole (Suzanne Henley) of Memphis, Tennessee, sister-in-law, Dorothy Parker (Alan Wiles) of Roswell, Georgia, nephews, Jonathan Cole (Paul Linxwiler) of Memphis Tennessee, David Cole of Arlington, Virginia, Trey Cole of Hong Kong, Cole Thompson (Marcela Rotela) of New York, New York, Shannon Thompson (Kristine) of Manasquan, New Jersey, Andrew Cole (Benson Wright) of Chicago, Illinois, nieces, Elizabeth Cole Goodrich (Mike) and Molly Cole of Birmingham, Alabama, Priscilla Johnson (Vern) of Alpharetta, GA; Melissa Anderson (Scott), and Diana Lokey (Scott) of Cumming, Georgia. She was pre-deceased by her parents, son-in-law, Todd Butler and nephew, Owen Thompson. Services will be held in Decatur, Georgia, and in Charleston, South Carolina. Decatur Georgia: visitation at A. S. Turner and Sons Funeral Home, Thursday, August 21, 6 p.m.; funeral mass at Saint Thomas More Catholic Parish, August 22, 2 p.m. Charleston South Carolina: visitation at James A. McAlister Funeral Home, Monday August 25, 6 p.m.; funeral mass at St. Joseph's Catholic Parish, West Ashley, Charleston, SC Tuesday, August 26, 10 a.m.; burial immediately following funeral at Holy Cross Cemetery, James Island; reception immediately following burial at St. Joseph's Catholic Parish, West Ashley. Notes of condolences can be sent to P.O. Box 177, Decatur, GA 30031





Funeral Home:
A.S. Turner
2773 N. Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033