Callie Parker Mickey

Callie Parker Mickey, 93, of Abilene, died July 6, 2017, at her home in Abilene. A funeral service is planned for 1 p.m., Monday, July 10, 2017, in the chapel at University Church of Christ. A visitation with the family will be Sunday from 3-5 p.m. at Piersall Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut St.
Callie was born April 13, 1924, to Ellis Parker and Ola Wood Parker near Dunn, Texas, in Scurry County. She was graduated as valedictorian from Grandfalls-Royalty High School in 1941. She attended Abilene Christian College where she met Wayne Everitt Mickey. On March 21, 1943, at age 18 she married the love of her life. They spent nearly 57 years together until he died in 2000.
As the wife of a gospel preacher, Callie was a homemaker, teacher, and partner in Wayne’s ministry in Churches of Christ in Athens, Alabama; Monahans, Texas; Lubbock, Texas; Rochester, Minnesota; Lovington, New Mexico; Quanah, Texas; and Dallas. Her mentors in teaching women were her mother and Myrtle Thompson, Dean of Women at York College. Callie was a voracious reader, skilled knitter, and joyous flower gardener.
When Callie was 47, Wayne suffered a career-ending brain injury in a car accident. She returned to college, earning a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a master’s degree in gerontology from the University of North Texas (1973, 1975). She completed her doctor’s degree in education at Texas Tech University in 1981.
As an academic sociologist, she served on the faculties of Abilene Christian University and Lubbock Christian University between 1975 and 1992. She taught hundreds of students, many of whom stayed in touch with her through the years because of her encouraging influence. She was a member of the board of Carillon LifeCare Community in Lubbock from 1979-1991, serving as chair for nine of those 12 years.
Callie was devoted to her husband and family. She fought tenaciously for Wayne’s recovery and helped him rebuild a happy and meaningful life in retirement in spite of his ongoing limitations. She allied with her daughter to create a shared household in Memphis, Tennessee, where her husband and grandson could thrive. In 2004, Callie returned with her daughter to Abilene, where she was a member of the University Church of Christ and a teacher of ladies’ Bible classes.
Surviving Callie are her daughter Carisse Berryhill of Abilene and her grandson David Berryhill of Rancho Cordova, California, as well as many nieces and nephews and other extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Wayne; and her two sisters, Sarah Parker of Winters, Texas, and Ellene Patterson of Fort Worth.
The family expresses special gratitude to caregiver Petra Ortiz, to the professionals at Hospice of the Big Country, and to the University Church of Christ. The family requests that memorial donations be made to University Library at Lubbock Christian University (5601 W. 19th, Lubbock, TX 79407), Brown Library at Abilene Christian University (Box 29208, Abilene, TX 79699-9208), or to Graves Library at Harding School of Theology (1000 Cherry Road, Memphis, TN 38117). Condolences may be offered to the family online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com.