HARKER, Carolyn R.

Parker Funeral Home, Parker, AZ - Published on August 29, 2011 - Carolyn R Harker June 17, 1940 - August 29, 2011 When Carolyn R Harker walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Carolyn was and how she impacted those around her. Carolyn was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Carolyn wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Carolyn was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life. She was the daughter of Olen and Vivian Loper. Carolyn was raised in Lindsay, OK. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Carolyn might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Carolyn was always in pursuit of life's endless possibilities and opportunities available to her. Carolyn was raised with three siblings. She had three younger sisters, Johna, Janet and Sharon. Carolyn was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Carolyn was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Carolyn well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew her. As a young girl, Carolyn was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Carolyn was intelligent. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. In her spare time she loved to go fishing. Carolyn had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover. On August 12, 1956 Carolyn married Charles Harker at the Little White Church of Las Vegas, Nevada. Carolyn's skill at "building bridges" played an important role in her ability to make her new family happy. She was quite sensitive towards Charles's needs, showing her constant concern and fondness. Carolyn was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served her well in helping to nurture her family. Carolyn was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Carolyn, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Harker home. Carolyn's skill at understanding her children's feelings, her sensitivity to their needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Carolyn was blessed with three children: Shirley, Sandra and Jimmy. Carolyn was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life's possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional worker. Her primary occupation was being a housewife. Carolyn had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of her gift for insight. Because Carolyn loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were fishing, camping and shopping. Carolyn had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favorite pastimes. However, Carolyn's ever-present concern for others always took precedent. Carolyn's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer. Carolyn took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. Favorite vacations included coming to the Colorado River. Carolyn was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Lady her poodle, was a best friend for 7 years. She adapted and, like everything in her life, made it satisfying. Her new life involved relocating to Parker, Arizona. In Parker, she found new pleasure in spending time with her loved ones. Carolyn continued to stay in touch with her old friends and like always, made plenty of new ones. Carolyn Harker passed away on August 29, 2011 at La Paz Regional Hospital in Parker, Arizona. She fought diabetes and kidney failure. She is survived by her husband Charles Harker, her sisters Johna, Janet and Sharon, her son Jimmy and all her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Services were held at Parker Funeral Home. Carolyn was laid to rest in Parker Town Cemetery in Parker, Arizona. There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Carolyn. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Carolyn Harker for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Carolyn was always more than willing to share life's experiences with her loved ones.