Don Parker

October 3, 1932 - July 16, 2020 Don Parker, 87, passed away in Casa Grande on July 16, 2020. He was born on October 3, 1932 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. He moved to Arizona when he was young with his family. He attended ASU where he was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. He used to buy old motorcycles, repair and re-sell them to help pay for college. He graduated in Architecture and went to work for a well-known Architecture firm. He learned early on that was not what he wanted to do. He loved buying and selling and would buy whatever he could to re sell. He eventually went into the car business and had a car lot for many years on Van Buren named P & M Motors which stood for (Piss and Moan). Anyone who knew him could always rely on the fact he would tell you how it is no matter the situation. It didn’t matter when it was or where you were, Don wouldn’t mince words, but he would always give you an honest assessment of a situation or answer a question whether you wanted one or not. He loved buying and selling cars and going to the auction as he retired. He traveled the world with his loving companion, Merline. They went on a lot of great trips. Every year they would take a trip to visit a golf course. He also loved kids and dogs. He always used to say if people loved him as much as kids and dogs he would have it made. He spent many summers taking his grandchildren to Colorado and San Diego where they enjoyed fishing, building things, or just spending time outdoors. He also loved to play golf. He would leave the house every day around 10 a.m. and would a lot of times golf 36 holes of golf in a day. He would always be home in time for cocktail hour and a good dinner. He loved handing out his business cards to everyone he played golf with or visited with. He was never one to sit around during the day, and was always doing something whether it was going to the auction, playing golf, or simply running errands. He used to say, "I can’t stand just sitting around watching TV. I have got to be doing something." Don is survived by his loving companion, Merline Self and her family, Pam Walton (Chuck) and Dwayne Self; Tiffany Shaw (Grant), Alyse Haldy, Darci Self who called him grandpa, and Emma and Lyla Shaw, his great-grandkids; also nieces and a nephew. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister. J. Warren is in charge of the funeral arrangements.