Ryan A. Parker Tues., Aug. 18, 2026

Beloved father of Emily Parker, Cole Fairchild, Candice DeWinters, Kevin Green II, Faith Kranz, Christian Green and Cash Green; dear grandfather of Alyssa DeWinters, the late Ashton DeWinters, Aleah DeWinters and Knox Kranz; dear brother of Bruce Parker; dear uncle of Evan Parker, the late Dayle Parker, Alex Crain, Jacob Crain, William Crain and Chase Crain; dear Long time love of his life Candie Williams; dear nephew of Betty Petty, Jim Petty and Nancy Drake; beloved son of the late Ronnie and Patsy Parker; our dear cousin and friend to many.

Ryan was a dad, a brother, and a friend. He was a man who wore many hats and somehow made everyone around him feel loved. He was an incredible father who loved his daughter, Emily, to the moon and back. She was his pride and joy, and if you knew Ryan, you knew how deeply he loved her. He also opened his heart to so many other children, loving them as his own. He never had to step into those roles, but he wanted to because that was simply who Ryan was. He loved people deeply and wanted everyone around him to know they mattered.

Ryan was truly the life of the party. He was so much fun, always making people laugh or smile, telling jokes, and finding a way to make every situation more positive. He was known as “Positive Parker” for a reason. He always looked for the good, took the high road, and chose to be the better person. He was a peacemaker who never wanted to see people hurting or divided. Ryan also had a competitive spirit and could turn almost anything into a competition, whether anyone else knew they were competing or not.

Ryan was genuinely one of the most caring people you could ever meet. He would give you the last dollar in his pocket without thinking twice. He stepped into roles he was never asked to fill simply because he cared and wanted to help. He celebrated people constantly, from the smallest victories to the biggest moments, and made everyone feel worth celebrating. He taught people to love themselves, laugh at the hard things, and put down their phones to enjoy the life right in front of them. He reminded people to appreciate the simplest things and to stop and look at the moon.

Ryan loved music and was the best singer, dancer, and beatboxer. He somehow seemed to be the best at everything he did. He was beyond creative and could always come up with something fun to do or somewhere cool to go. He even had his own DJ name, “DJ Crinkle Kut.” He loved learning and gaining knowledge, always researching and finding something new to discover. He was proud of who he was while always wanting to grow into an even better man. He was on a path of greatness, continuously trying to better himself, and was someone so many people looked up to.

Ryan was content in the simplest moments of life. He could be surrounded by family and friends and be completely happy, but was just as comfortable enjoying time by himself. He could find happiness almost anywhere. He was happy, kind, compassionate, and sincere, and he loved harder than anyone many of us had ever known.

Ryan was proud of his faith, and his relationship with God was an important part of who he was. He never hesitated to encourage someone going through a difficult time to pray about it. He would give you his best advice, remind you to look for the positive, and encourage you to trust God through whatever you were facing. His faith was shown not only in what he believed, but in the way he loved, cared for, encouraged, and showed up for others.

Ryan gave people something impossible to replace: the feeling of being truly loved. He brought smiles to people's faces, gave the best “monster hugs,” celebrated the people he loved, and reminded everyone around him to find the good in life. His love, laughter, music, faith, kindness, and “Positive Parker” spirit will live on in everyone fortunate enough to have known him.

In lieu of flowers: https://gofund.me/907f63b17

Visitation at Ortmann’s, 9222 Lackland Rd. Overland, Sun., Aug. 23 from 12-4 p.m. Service at 4 p.m.

Ortmann Funeral Home www.osfuneralhomes.com