Funeral services were held Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at Springhill Baptist Church for Mr. John L. Parkman, 86, who died Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, in Picayune.  Rev. Roy Thompson officiated with interment following in the church cemetery.  Johnson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Mr. John L. Parkman was born in Silver Creek, to the late John and Eula Parkman. As a youth, Mr. Parkman was a member of Shady Grove Baptist Church in Silver Cree.  He married the late Dorothy Mae Loflin Parkman in 1962; four children were born to this union.

He later moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast area and worked at several businesses until he became a Longshoreman with the International Longshoremen Association Local 1303. He was a 33rd Degree Mason with the Mt. Olive Lodge #83 in Gulfport.  He was also a member of the North Gulfport Volunteer Fire Department, North Gulfport Good Deeds and a member of the NAACP.  He was volunteer for the Harrison County All County Band and also Band Booster for Harrison Central High School Marching Band.

Mr. Parkman was a member of Greater Mount Olive Baptist Church in Gulfport, where he was a member of the security staff and church bus driver.

He relocated to Prentiss, after his retirement as Longshoreman and became a member of Springhill Baptist Church where he was a member of the Brotherhood.  He began driving log trucks on a part time basis for several years. He continued to show support for various organizations such as The Prentiss Institute assisting in maintaining the campus grounds and supporting campus activities.

He was preceded in death by brothers, Willie J. Parkman and Calvin Parkman.

He is survived by sons, Jerry B. (Belvanna) Parkman of Gulfport, Timothy (April) Parkman of Ocean Springs, daughters, Linda (Calvin) Lewis of Picayune, ; Mary N. Parkman of Nashville, Tennessee; brothers, Charles E. Parkman of Silver Creek, Clarence Parkman of Las Vegas, Nevada; sisters, Dorothy McNair of Jackson, Sarah Parkman of Jackson, Mary Catherine Clark of Metairie, Louisiana; 10 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.