CARL "CHOPPER" PARKIN' JOINED HIS ANGELIC FRIENDS ON JULY 3, 2023

Carl Parkin was 77 Years old and raised at the pictured house on 4th East in Nephi. His father was Frank Parkin, and mother Ellen. She passed away when Chopper was a teenager, and his Dad then married Vida, who brought in kids, but they managed to get along. Carl often looked up to his brother-Fred, who during the early 1960's was one of the National Guardsmen activated to help guard the Satellite Dish west of Levan. At the time, Communist Russia was threatening the destruction of America and Juab High School protocol was to send all students to "secret" rooms under the School's bottom floor where food was hidden. When threats subsided, I was one of the part time janitors to dump the millions of taxpayer dollars of the spoiled food and supplies. Maybe, just maybe, that is why Chopper dropped out of Juab High before his 1965 graduation and joined the U.S. Army and completed more than 8 years, along with 2 Tours of Duty in Nam. Similar to the "Seabees" of World War Two, Carl was a trained Engineer for Combat, who helped build bridges and other structures to penetrate enemy forces and to assist the Allied Command. He was one of the silent but strong guys with a heart of gold like his mother. As a young whippersnapper, I also got acquainted with his grandmother who lived on Track Street in a pioneer home that was forced to be torn down to make way for a new elementary school playground. His grandma also had a heart of gold, and if you look at the photo of Carl and the pup he adorned in the Army, one can understand his love and devotion, not just for dogs and horses, but his "Brothers In Arms" becoming a Staff Sgt. When he and his lifelong buddies recently went fishing, it was easy to see the real love for his wife-Maria, from BadNeustadt, Germany. Carl had the crippling disease of COPD; so on oxygen and bound to a wheelchair, but could fish and still drink coffee. Maria and Carl met at a NCO club as a photo will show, and back then in 1967, I can see that Carl's face shows that once in a lifetime love for ever and Maria is smilin as if to say "I got this handsome stud forever". After the Army, Carl worked with his hands and good they were. In one photo, it will show that a part of the "Dean" of Juab woodturners was Dean Shaw, and perhaps that helped to motivate Carl to make those two rocking chairs for his grandchildren. He turned out to be a typical Nephi Horselover and rider and Tennis player, then retired after working Airport Security in Salt Lake. They have two living kids; ten or so grandchildren and used each others shoulder to cry on when they lost their daughter to brain cancer. Tammy Cowburn was 45, with Chopper tearing up at her wedding photo. A celebration of life to honor Frank Carl Parkin will be held July 15, 2023 from 11;30 to 2 PM at Wheeler Historic Farm, with his earthly remains being secured at the Vinebluff Cemetery in Nephi, Utah on July 20, 2023 at 11:00 A.M. with Military rites provided by American Legion, Nephi Post No. 1. Come hell or high water, his genuine smile never changed. We could all use a little more "Chopper" in us.