Jeremy Parker left this life on September 8, 2010 after a six-month battle with acute myeloid leukemia at Oklahoma University Medical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. After a courageous struggle Jeremy rests in peace with his Lord. His brutal trial was an inspiration to many from coast to coast. When questioned about how a human could maintain such strength under such adverse conditions, Jeremy replied, "Tough is what we are!" He never gave up and never quit fighting. Never flinching, he let Faith be his guide and gave all Glory to God.

Jeremy was born in Shattuck, Oklahoma, at Newman Memorial Hospital to Jennifer (Deal) and Scott Parker. He grew up around his Granddad Deryl's ranch near Arnett, Oklahoma where he attended school from the fourth grade through high school. Moving his senior year, Jeremy graduated in 2002 from Edmond North High School in Edmond, Oklahoma. Jeremy was active in 4-H and Boy Scouts. He played basketball and enjoyed baseball. At the ranch, he loved hunting and fishing with his father and breaking colts for his Granddad. Jeremy received further education at Southwest Oklahoma State University, but his heart was in the country. Jeremy loved the land. After a brief stint in the oil field, he returned to Arnett to make a hand on the ranch.

Family and spending time with relatives was very important to Jeremy. He was affable with keen awareness and a sharp sense of humor. Nothing made Jeremy happier than to make someone else smile. He was a peacemaker who always brought folks together.

In his short life, Jeremy had fond memories. One was the summer he spent training horses in Montana with Jim Simpson. It was an opportunity for him to work with a world-class trainer and hone his skills in cutting and reigning. Between clinics he got to rope, participate in rodeos, and work on a large ranch surrounded by beautiful landscape.

Other indelible experiences include the road trips Jeremy took with his Granddad to Arizona. There he and his Aunt Janice took long rides on their horses Princess and Happy in the mountains and Sonoran desert. Jeremy was overwhelmed by the ancient ironwood trees, giant saguaros, and abundant wildlife... every day there was an adventure.

Later in life, God blessed Jeremy with Megan Rumbaugh. She was a soulmate who shared the same interests. They met in Edmond and quickly grew close to one another. A terrific team of horsemen, Jeremy would start'em and she would finish'em. They were married August 8, 2009 at the Waterloo Nazarene Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. After the ceremony they established residence in Higgins, Texas. Jeremy continued to work on the ranch. Megan found a job at Cedar Ridge Veterinary Clinic in Arnett, Oklahoma. Five months after the wedding Jeremy fell ill and was eventually diagnosed with AML. They went to OU Medical Center to begin treatment. His focus was to fight and defeat this daunting foe. Along the way, he inspired and made friends with many fellow cancer patients. The hospital staff grew attached to him because of his incredible positive attitude and Faith. And through it all, Megan was steadfast by his side, as an amazing guardian angel, and guiding light. Jeremy's parents, Jennifer, Scott, and Tami also spent many hours comforting and caring for their ailing boy. Megan's parents, Jerry and Sherol Rumbaugh, and sister, Morgan, also embraced this struggle and provided unimaginable moral support. Jeremy was a hero to those who knew him and left deep boot prints for the cowboy kind.

Those preceding Jeremy in death include great grandparents Verner and Gladys Parker, great grandparents Iona and Jim Guilford, his grandfather Harvey Deal, and step-grandfather Charles Lundy. He is survived by his wife Megan, mother Jennifer Deal Parker, father Scott Parker, step-mother Tami Parker, sister Amanda Parker Justin and daughter Ava, grandmother Marie Deal, granddad Deryl Parker and Gwen, grandmother Anita Tackett and step-grandfather Doyle Tackett, and numerous extended relatives.

Jeremy's family would like to thank everyone for their compassion and support. Donations can be made to Caringbridge.org, First Christian Church of Arnett, Oklahoma, and Shaw Funeral Home, Arnett, Oklahoma.