Nichole L. Parker

Nichole Lee Parker was born to Dan and Lori Krier on a blustery November 5th, 1977, at St. Michael Hospital in Tyndall, South Dakota. It would be two more weeks before she rested in her daddy’s arms as he waited for her birth on a small island in the Aleutians of Alaska. Niki spent the first ten years of her life on islands in Alaska. In 1987, Niki and family moved to Mitchell, South Dakota where Niki participated in softball and volleyball, but her favorite was show choir. Singing, dancing, and performing with the group was a joy for her. People watching the productions often commented how the joy on her face drew them to watch her.
After graduation, Niki attended Mankato State University for two years. It was her part-time job with home health care that gave her the goal of service to others. When she moved to Oregon in 2000, she took a job managing a group home for adults with disabilities. This led to a job working with and guiding homeless teens. For the last eleven years, she worked for the state of Oregon as a case manager for kids with developmental disabilities.
It was through her first job in Oregon that she met and fell in love with Daniel Jonn Parker. Their wedding ceremony was celebrated at her parents’ cabin in SD on July 24, 2004, followed by a pork barbecue (a family tradition), wedding dance under the stars, and fireworks.
To Dan and Niki’s union were born two children: Ashton, age 8 and Avery, age 3. Dan and her children were the loves of her life. She spent time creating a home filled with love, music, art projects, day trips, camping, crabbing, baseball, soccer and reading.
Niki passed away January 20, 2022, at home after a ten-month battle with cancer. Thankful for being a part of Niki’s life are her husband: Daniel Parker and children, Ashton and Avery; her parents, Dan and Lori Krier; her brother, Nate (Meredith and Hudson) Krier; her father-in-law, Fred Parker and family; her mother-in-law, Bev Kohl and hundreds of friends.
Niki was preceded in death by her grandparents: Bob and Betty Slade, Leo and Della Krier; her Aunt Carol (Ron) Krier and Uncle John (Janet) Krier plus numerous great aunts and uncles. She is probably helping roast the hog with Grandpa and Grandma Slade, dancing at the Legion Hall with Grandpa and Grandma Krier, playing canasta and eating popcorn with Aunt Carol, and washing cars with Uncle John. She is no longer in pain but is surrounded by those who went before her and loved her.
A memorial service in Keizer, Oregon will be held February 5, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. at the Keizer Funeral Home at 4365 River Road N. Keizer, OR 97303. Some of her ashes will then be scattered along the Oregon coast.
Then on July 2, 2022, there will be a memorial service for family and friends at the cabin in South Dakota followed by a pork barbeque. Some of her ashes will be scattered on the bluff over looking the Missouri River.
Remember: we loved her, but more importantly she loved us.