Antonia "Toni" Newman Parker

Antonia Newman Parker was born on March 22, 1957, in Newport, Rhode Island. She passed away peacefully at home in Dallas, Texas on December 14, 2021, at the age of 64, after a long-fought battle with COPD, emphysema and congestive heart failure. 

Ms. Parker (known to her friends as Toni) earned her high school diploma from the Austin State School for the Deaf in 1975. In the 1980s, Ms. Parker received a cochlear implant in Wichita, Kansas. Ms. Parker graduated in June 1988 from the Wichita Area Vocational Technical School after earning a certificate in graphic communications, in Wichita Kansas. In the fall of 1988, she obtained a certificate in microcomputer applications for business from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.

Ms. Parker worked for many years in the printing industry for Stanfast, in Baltimore, Maryland.  Antonia played softball on the Stanfast Corporate Team, and was voted center of the year in the 1990s.   She was an accomplished pool player and loved to compete in championships.  In 1994 she attained the 7th GUP (yellow belt with green stripe) in Tae Kwon Do. She loved dogs, hiking, exploring caves, swimming, riding bikes, and traveling.  During her retirement years, Antonia enjoyed countless hours of playing computer games, solving puzzles, knitting, crafting diamond art masterpieces, and spending time with friends and family. Ms. Parker was actively involved with the Deaf Action Center for many years and enjoyed lifetime friendships with numerous people from all different walks of life. Antonia was funny, kind, compassionate and loved to have fun and to make people smile. 

Ms. Parker was preceded in death by her birth mother, Gail Parker, and her adoptive parents, William H. Parker and Marylouis Parker.  Ms. Parker is survived by her sister, Natasha Geddie-Rinehart and brother-in-law Mark Rinehart, nieces Reina Geddie and Kimberly Geddie, several cousins in Massachusetts and her best friend in Dallas, Mollie Jeffrey.  A celebration of life will be held at the Deaf Action Center in the Spring of 2022.

In lieu of flowers, please consider having a tree planted in honor of Antonia, or please consider making a donation in her name to the Deaf Action Center in Dallas, Texas.

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