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In memory of

Tammera "Tammy" Drake Parker

Pendleton, SC, USA

January 14, 1960 - December 1, 2020

Jan 14, 1960 - Dec 1, 2020

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On Tuesday, December 1st 2020, Tammera Drake Parker, a loving wife and mother, went home to the Lord at age 60.
Tammy was born on January 14, 1960, in Newberry, SC, to Burney and Connie Drake. After graduation from American Cooperative School in Monrovia, Liberia, she attended Lander University. She married John P. Parker, Jr, in 1980. They lived in Virginia and Oklahoma before making their home in Pendleton, SC in 1999. Tammy was a Pharmacy Tech and worked at CVS, Clemson University, and the Free Clinic in Clemson before health issues deprived her of continuing in the work she loved with the people she loved.
Tammy always thought about how she could bring joy to others. Despite her suffering. which spanned her epic 28-year battle with cancer, she managed to buy and offer small gifts to people she loved, including medical personnel whom she encountered. The gifts she gave to her caregivers were frequently in response to something she remembered they had said on previous visits. Her thoughtfulness was legendary. On one occasion, when she was discharged from a Greenville hospital, tears flowed as staff members said goodbye to her. On another similar discharge, one caregiver rescheduled his day off so he could be there to tell her goodbye and wish her well. She touched people: they remembered. Whenever she was able, she delighted in surprising her extended family with tasty treats. Even when her suffering hindered cooking, she was always thinking of things she could order and give to her loved ones.
The early onset of health issues thwarted Tammy's strong desire to have a large family. But her mothering instinct drew children to her and brought joy to her heart. Her grandson, Logan, was a source of immense pleasure for her as they enjoyed time together. Tammy is survived by her husband, John, her son Clayburn, her daughter-in-law Allison, her grandson, Logan, her parents Burney and Connie Drake, her brother Timothy Drake, her sister Tracey Morgan, nieces Courtney Morgan and Candice Kemp, and several loving cousins.
Following Tammy's request, there will be no memorial service until after the COVID-19 threat is minimal.
Memorial gifts to Foothills Hospice, Clemson Free Clinic, or The American Cancer Society will be appreciated by the family.

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