RALEIGH – Lauretta Owen Dyer Parker, 83, of Raleigh died on Sunday, March 1, 2015 at Rex Hospital. Lauretta was the wife of Col. (Ret) Joseph M. Parker.

Lauretta was a native of Shaker Heights, Ohio, where she received her early education. She earned a B.A. degree in business economics from the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, and a Masters in retailing from the University of Pittsburgh School of Retailing in Pittsburgh, PA. She was serving as assistant to the Baptist Minister for graduate students for Western Pennsylvania when she met the love of her life, married and moved to North Carolina.

Lauretta served terms on the Hertford County Social Services Board, and the North Carolina Advisory Committee on Vocational Education as an appointee of Gov. James B. Hunt, Jr. She was awarded the North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf Pine and the Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow.

Early in her married life she taught at Colerain Union and Ahoskie High School. She served as treasurer of Parker Brothers, Inc., printing and publishing firm, from 1983-1988.

Lauretta, while living in Ahoskie, was a member of Ahoskie Woman’s Club, Ahoskie Garden Club, and Hertford County Democratic Women. She served a term as Garden Club District Director and Chair of First Congressional District Democratic Women. She was an area supervisor for the 1970 census. Also in Ahoskie, Lauretta was annual conference delegate from Ahoskie United Methodist Church for 10 years.

Lauretta sang in choirs continuously beginning in high school, singing at Ahoskie United Methodist Church and since 1993 at Raleigh’s Hayes Barton UMC. Since moving to Magnolia Glen retirement community she had joined its choir group.

In Raleigh, Lauretta was a member of the Raleigh Garden Club, United Methodist Women, and Wake County Democratic Women.

Lauretta is survived by her husband Joe; daughter Katherine Parker-Lowe and husband Keith of Ocracoke; son Joseph Wilbur Parker of Raleigh; brother Gifford Dyer and wife Mary Ann of  Orange, Ohio; and two sisters-in-law, Julia Credle of Windsor and Suzannah Early of Apex. Nieces and nephews are Janet Largent of Solon, Ohio; Jennie and husband Tom Fazio of Solon, Ohio; Carroll Credle III of Chapel Hill; Jamie Credle and husband Raleigh Marcell of Savannah, GA: Lyn and husband Steve Hardway of Greensboro; and Herbert Turner, Jr. and wife  Kim of Apex.

Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4 at Hayes Barton United Methodist Church, 2200 Fairview Road, Raleigh. Burial will be at OakwoodCemetery, Raleigh.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may made to The Well building fund, Hayes Barton United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 6088, Raleigh, NC 27628.

Condolences may be sent to www.brownwynne.com.