Obit – Mr. Jeff Parker
An Elmwood Community businessman, Mr. Jeff Parker, passed from this life on Sunday evening, October 5, 2025, as a result of an automobile accident while riding his motorcycle.
Mr. Parker was 64.
Bro. Floyd Massey officiated the 11:00 a.m., Thursday morning, October 9th funeral services from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home. Burial followed at the Brush Creek Cemetery, where Mr. Parker will be laid to rest beside his father, “Red” Parker.
Jeff was the son of Carthage native Wanda Gail Parker of New Middleton and the late New Middleton native Bobby Doyle “Red” Parker, who died February 27, 2022, at the age of 85. Jeff was one of their four children, three sons and a daughter, and was born Jeffrey Doyle Parker in New Middleton on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1961.
He was raised in the New Middleton Community, attended New Middleton Elementary School through the eighth grade, and was a member of the 1979 graduating class at Gordonsville High School.
On October 10, 2010, at his home, he was united in marriage by Cliffa Norris to Carthage native, the former Karla Kay Huffine.
They had formed a wonderful life together and were very supportive of each other. She had become an integral part of their business, Caney Fork Motors, in the Elmwood Community, which Jeff established in 2002.
They had recently purchased a lot on the lake in the Enigma Community and enjoyed spending time there.
In his youth, the Parker family were attendees of the New Middleton Methodist Church.
Jeff enjoyed restoring old cars, riding motorcycles, organizing charity benefits through the local ABATE organization, spending time at the beach, and being with family and friends.
Surviving in addition to his wife, Karla, of almost fifteen years and his mother, Gail, are
Mr. Parker’s two children, Tristan Parker and wife Samantha of Cookeville; Tara Parker of Knoxville; one grandson, Brady Klein Reid-Parker; two stepsons, Dustin Thackxton and Johnny Ray Thackxton, both of the Elmwood Community; one grandson, Hunter Ray Thackxton; sister, Lori Parker Culwell and husband Tony of Smithville; two brothers, John Parker and Jimmy Parker and wife Jennifer, all of the New Middleton Community.
The Parker family requests memorials be made to the Jordan Hackett Foundation to benefit the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
