Evelyn "Jo" Parkey

Evelyn Joan "Jo" Parkey (Marlow) Evelyn Joan "Jo" Parkey (Marlow) of Butler Township, age 79, passed away on Sunday, September 28, 2014 after being diagnosed with ALS for more than 10 years. Jo grew up in Staunton Village near Troy, Ohio to. She was preceded in death by her mother Mary (Carity) and father Delmar Marlow, great-aunt Ethel Webb and her brother Eugene Marlow. She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Dale Parkey, 2 daughters Tonya Hittner (David) of Butler Township and Suzanne Parkey (Steve Loar) of Cincinnati, and 2 grandsons Alexander and Nathaniel Hittner of Butler Township. Jo is also survived by 3 brothers - Wilbur, Richard (Sherril), and Robert (Pat) Marlow - and many nieces and nephews. Jo graduated from Miami Central High School and Wittenburg University. She began a 30-year teaching career in Springfield, Ohio. After moving to Butler Township in 1961, Jo taught in the Vandalia-Butler school system at Vandalia Elementary, Murlin Heights Elementary, Helke Elementary, and Smith Middle Schools. She taught grades 2, 3, 5, and 6. Jo was a member of Vandalia United Methodist Church, Greenview Garden Club, Aullwood Audubon Farm and Center, Cox Arboretum, Brukner Nature Center, Wegerzyn Garden Center, College Women's Club, and the Kappa Beta Chapter of the Sigma Phi Gamma Sorority. She served on the Friends of Aullwood Board for several years, and she enjoyed working in the Herb Garden at Aullwood Farm with the Greenview Garden Club. Jo was a Lifetime member of the Historical Society of Vandalia-Butler where she spent many hours taking care of the Herb Garden. She was a Muse Machine advisor and also instrumental in developing the gifted program in the Vandalia Butler school system. She did post-graduate work at Miami University and developed a book for teaching science using toys to enhance understanding. Jo enjoyed gardening and doing cross stitch. Jo was an excellent cook and an inspirational teacher to many students and parents. Jo's family would like to thank friends and home health care aides for everything that they have helped with over the years. They would also like to thank the entire staff in the ICU at Good Samaritan Hospital for their excellent care and kindness. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 pm, Sunday, October 5, a the Aullwood Audubon Center, 1000 Aullwood Rd.. The family will receive friends at the Aullwood Center on Sunday from 2:00 pm until time of service. For those wishing to join the family, a Graveside Service will be held at 11:00 am, Monday, October 6, at the Miami Memorial Park Cemetery, 7875 North Crescent Rd., Covington, OH 45318. Please come as you are. In lieu of flowers, you may donate to either the Greenview Garden Club, c/o Aullwood Audubon Center, 1000 Aullwood Road, Dayton, Ohio 45414 or ALS Central and Southern Chapter, webcsch.alsa.org or to the Historical Society of Vandalia-Butler, PO Box 243, Vandalia, OH 45377-0243. Local arrangements entrusted to Morton & Whetstone Funeral Home, Vandalia.