William W. Parker, son of the late Robert Parker, of this place, died at his home in Toledo, Iowa, Friday, February 26, 1897. The Tama County (Iowa) Democrat contains the following obituary:
  "The community was shocked last Friday afternoon to learn that Wm. Parker had suddenly died. Mr. parker had not been feeling well at the noon hour, and while his wife observed that he did not look well, he thought that he was able to go down town as usual and said he would call on the doctor. He went directly from his home to the doctor's office where medical attendance as administered and there he remained. He seemed to revive for a short time, but about 2:30 o'clock suddenly had a relapse and died almost instantly in the presence of attendants. His death is attributed to neuralgia of the heart. While Mr. Parker's death came with such suddenness and is a severe blow to his family, it did not come without some warnings to his faithful wife who had closely observed his physical condition for some time and who knew that he occasionally suffered from heart difficulty.
Wm. M. Parker was born at Spruce Creek, Pennsylvania, July 9, 1840. His boyhood days were spent in the community of his birth. During the Civil War he served faithfully as a member of the 16th M. Cavalry of Pennsylvania. On September 17, 1872, he was married to Miss Allie Conroy, his surviving wife. Three daughters Maude, Blanche and Bertha, survive the father as a comfort to the mother. About sixteen years ago the family moved from Pennsylvania to Lisbon, Iowa and two and a half years later came to Toledo where they have since resided. Mr. Parker was a tailor by trade and a ,an who stood high among his fellowman in the community. He was a member of the G.A.R. Post, the A.O.U.W., in which he carried a $2,000 life insurance, and of the Toledo Lodge, No. 118, A.F. &  A.M.
Religiously he was a member of the Baptist church, having united with that organization in his young manhood in Altoona, Pa., and at the time of his death he was a faithful and consistent member of the church in this city. He had served as a member of the school board of Toledo for six years and the high esteem in which he was held by the members of the board is shown by the testimony which they have borne of his life and character in the minutes of their meeting. In every relation of life Wm. Parker sustained a high type of manhood. He was kind and faithful in his family relations and had the uppermost thought of his life seemed to be the welfare of those dependent on him. For this he planned, for this he labored unceasingly. In his death the world loses * of its best men - best and bravest, * the fact that he was * and unobtrusive upon the world. Funeral services were conducted* last Sabbath afternoon at *. Rev. Amos Weaver of the * officiating. The text *  The Baptist * appropriate music. The * Woodlawn Cemetery.