Lawrence "Frog" Willis Parten, Jr. (Lebanon)'s Obituary
Lawrence Willis Parten, Jr., son of Lawrence Willis and Norma L. Jones Parten, was born September 20, 1937, in Abilene, Texas. He departed this life on his birthday, Friday, September 20, 2019, in Lake Regional Hospital, in Osage Beach, Missouri, at the age of eighty-two years.
On August 28, 1955, he was united in marriage to Mary Gail Carroll, and to this union two daughters and two sons were born.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, “Junior” Lawrence W. Parton, III; two brothers, “Bunny” and Jay; and two sisters, Wanda and Melba.
“Frog”, as he was called by his family and friends, is survived by his loving wife of sixty-four years, Gail, of the home; two daughters, Patty Patton, and Glen Darby, of Richland, Missouri, and Mary Davenport, and her husband, Nathan, of Lebanon, Missouri; a son, Donald Parten, and his wife, Sherry, of Stoutland, Missouri; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; two brothers, Jack Parten, and his wife, Nanette, of Oak Hill, California, and Robert Parten, of Hesperia, California; several nieces and nephews; a special neighbor, Cliff; as well as a host of other relatives and friends.
He was born in Texas and then moved with his family to California when he was a child. He was raised in Chino Valley, California and attended high school there. He began working in construction and was a dozer operator in California for several years. He then worked as a driver for Mission Ready Mix Company for thirty years. After retiring he and the family moved to Lebanon, Missouri, where they lived for the last twenty-two years.
He loved all kinds of cars, especially vintage cars, and liked taking care of his cars and his lawn. He enjoyed going to Branson and possessed a great sense of humor. He had a good memory for details and mentioned many times through the years, that he never said a bad word about others. He loved his two dogs, “Mollie” and “Sally”. He had no in-laws as he considered them his brothers and sisters. His family was very important to him and he enjoyed having time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Lawrence was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, and was a caring neighbor and friend. We celebrate his life and know that his family and friends will treasure the wonderful memories he made for them during his eighty-two years.
A memorial has been established to to the American Cancer Society.
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