Carissa Parker, a part-time student and full-time nanny, died Friday at the age of 20.
Parker was a student attending Anoka Ramsey Community College in Minnesota while working full-time in New York as a nanny. She was going to be moving back to her home state, Minnesota, in November, to plan her upcoming wedding and start a new life with her fiancé, says her sister, Chandra Osorio.
She had many hopes and dreams for her life, including wanting to attend the Minneapolis Institute of Arts for a degree in photography and journalism. “She wanted to eventually own her own women’s magazine.” Her fiancé said, “She was passionate about writing and sharing important things like politics, religion, in addition to fashion and beauty.” She also wanted to incorporate her photography into the magazine.
As a member of Christian City Church Long Island in Greenlawn, NY, Parker has always enjoyed being involved in church activities such as volunteer work, youth ministry, leadership, children's programs, and several in and out of country missions work.
Parker was a busy nanny of four children, and while driving them to school one morning, she was making a turn and was broadsided by a speeding car which knocked her car into another. She and the two children also in the car were immediately rushed to the hospital. The children survived without any serious impairment, but after a couple days of intensive care, Parker died.
The family will receive visitors from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Dare’s Funeral Home, 805 Main Street in Elk-River, Minnesota. Funeral service is Monday at 3 p.m. with burial immediately following at the Livonia Township Cemetery. “She wanted to be buried in the cemetery near the house where she grew up.” Her mother said, “She always told us after she moved out how much her childhood meant to her. She wanted to be close to it always.”
Parker is survived by her fiancé, Daniel Roddin, her sisters Chandra and Norah, her brothers Anthony, Nicholas and Charles and also her parents, Stephen and Cheryl.
Great obituary Carissa! I like how you added the quotation about why you were buried where you were, I didn't even think about something like that. Also, congrats on getting engaged!
ReplyDeleteGreat job on your obituary! I always love reading your postings! You included so many interesting details about your life which made it fun to read. :) Did you grow up in Elk River?
ReplyDeleteI like how you included your ambitions and your dreams. I also like all the quotes from you family members. They make the obituary seem very personal.
ReplyDeleteI really like the way you wrote your obituary! It was very interesting and smoothly written.
ReplyDeleteI like how you added details about your life. Also the quotes were nice too. Your obit was good to read.
ReplyDeleteThis seemed very real.
ReplyDeletethanks everyone for all the encouraging comments.
ReplyDeleteRachel, I actually grew up in Zimmerman, but I participated a lot in activities in Elk-River, so I kind of grew up there. I went to church in Elk-River for 13 years, so all my friends live there.
Oh, ok that's really cool. Did you go to River of Life?
ReplyDeleteyes Rachel, I did! I loved it during the whole time I was there...but things started to change and I didn't feel like it was my home church anymore, I would have found a new church but then I moved to New York. Where do you go?
ReplyDeleteGrade: 7.5/10
ReplyDeleteMistakes:
• Should be Elk River, Minn.
• Should be N.Y.
• Should be Anoka-Ramsey (with hyphen)
• For both of your quotes, you connect the attribution to the second sentence. It should go with the first. “She wanted to eventually own her own women’s magazine.” Her fiancé said, "... Should be “She wanted to eventually own her own women’s magazine,” her fiancé said.