Memorial service for SSG (Retired) Howard L. Parham will be 12:30 p.m. Thursday, June 6, 2019 in Becker-Rabon Funeral Home Chapel with Dr. William F. Watkins officiating.

Placement of the urn will follow with full military honors in the columbarium at Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin.

SSG (Retired) Howard L. Parham was born April 9, 1932 in Union, South Carolina to Lawrence Leroy and Susie Katherine Parham.  He died in Lawton on June 2, 2019 at the age of 87.  Howard grew up in South Carolina and New York and left school before graduation to join the U.S. Army.  He served in the Army until his retirement at Fort Sill on July 31, 1968.  He served in Korea and Vietnam and his awards include: the National Defense Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Star, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device, Army of Occupation Medal (Japan), Republic of Korea Presidential Citation, Army Commendation Medal, One Overseas Service Bar, Korean Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, National Defense Service Medal with 1 ^st Oak Leaf Cluster and five awards of the Good Conduct Medal.

He married Virginia Ann Rains on September 2, 1949 in Fort Smith, Arkansas.  She preceded him in death on October 8, 2010.  He later married Eva Petsch on November 9, 2014 in VanBuren, Arkansas.

He is survived by his wife, of the home; two daughters and sons-in-law, Beverly and Tom Curtsinger, Collinsville, Oklahoma and Sherry and Charles Riner, Lawton; his son, Howard Parham, Jr., Massachusetts; nine grandchildren, Dr. Scott Jenkins, Brandon Mashburn, Kristopher Riner, Lance Cox, Dr. Stephen Riner, Lacey Robinson, Victoria Riner McDermott, Cassie Coker and Andrew Parham; 23 great grandchildren; a step son, Michael Petsch and wife Janet, Killeen, Texas; a step daughter, Julie Moore and husband Douglas, Oklahoma City; four step grandchildren, Isaac, Morgan, Megan and Zachary; and his sister, Margie Green, South Carolina.

His sister, Sandra, and brother, Eddie, preceded him in death.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Lawton-Fort Sill Veterans Center, 501 SE Flower Mound Road, Lawton, Oklahoma 73501.