Kelli Rae Parkinson

When Kelli and her sister were young, “The Little Mermaid” was a popular movie. They would put their legs in one side of a pair of sweats and tie one leg of tights around their chest and pretend they were mermaids.

Kelli loved the evening time. She loved to sleep during the day and then around 9:00 at night, she would wake up and be ready to hang out with her friends. She loved the stars at night and found solace in them. This is what she wrote in her journal: My favorite place to go to be alone is outside. I love to be outside! When I can’t sleep, I go outside on my trampoline or porch swing to admire the stars and another galaxy. I love to look at all the shooting stars that whiz past, lighting the sky. When I breathe the fresh, night air and look at the stars, all worries leave. When it was too cold outside, she would sit on the loveseat by the bay window and stare at the stars from inside the house. She loved everything about the night.

Kelli also enjoyed the outdoors. She had many fond memories of taking snowmobiles up the mountains to chop down a Christmas tree. She missed that activity very much and would talk about that family tradition quite a bit.

She loved to catch frogs and anything that moved, coming from the irrigation ditch water. One summer she and her siblings set up a “hatching” farm. They took plastic buckets and filled them with ditch water frogs, tadpoles, eggs, anything they could find. Then they “took care” of these creatures inside the buckets, giving them “fresh” dirty ditch water every day. Some eggs hatched into the ugliest-looking bugs we’d ever seen. Amazingly, those creatures lived several weeks until the kids lost interest.

Kelli took her role of being the oldest sibling very seriously. She protected her little sister and brother many times and I’m sure she still will. When Karen was pregnant with Bret, she would lift Megan up and Bret, while still in the womb, would kick Megan. Megan thought that was great. Kelli also wanted to feel this kicking action from her brother but Bret would never kick Kelli, to her disappointment. Come to find out, Bret wasn’t kicking Megan to just say “Hello.” Kelli was appointed referee with them, many times in her life. She protected Megan and Bret from each other.

When Bret was asked to tell a memory of Kelli he talked about when he was baptized. Before Bret was baptized, Kelli and Megan told him that when he is baptized, he’d have to change his name to Joseph. Bret believed his older sisters and diligently practiced writing his new name. Of course, this was a joke that his older sisters played on him.

Kelli had a passion for reading and she had started her own library, keeping each book she read in mint condition. She respected the authors and respected the books she read. She enjoyed reading different types of books but her favorite was during the times of knights and dragons, however she tended to lean towards books where the hero was a female. She had a quote in her room that said “God created men first, cause you always make a rough draft before a masterpiece.” It took a lot of convincing that she should let her dates open her car door for her because she could do it herself. She also enjoyed reading books about Joseph and Emma Smith. Many times in her journal she wrote how she loved Joseph and Emma and she felt she had a personal bond with them.

Kelli usually insisted on being the last one with the last word. This started at a very young age. When she was just a toddler she got sent to her when she had done something wrong. She willingly went to her room but before she closed the door, she would throw something out in the hall, such as a book or shoe. That was her way of getting the last word in.

Kelli was lovingly stubborn. You have to understand that Kelli LOVED strawberries. She would eat a huge bowl full in one sitting (and we’re not talking cereal bowl size – we’re talking mixing bowl size). A few years ago the family was on a trip in California. They bought a big fruit bowl to share. Kelli said she wasn’t hungry but this wasn’t true because she hadn’t eaten for hours. She just made up her mind for one reason or another that she was NOT going to eat. When she was asked why she wasn’t eating, her response was, “I don’t like California strawberries.” Her parents tried to convince her that the strawberries she eats back home come from California. She refused to accept that fact and insisted they were Idaho strawberries. At one point, she said “Mom, look over there.” Well, Karen fell for it (they were at Disneyland so there was a lot to look at), and at that point, Kelli took a strawberry and hurriedly ate it not wanting to be seen but Cliff, her stepdad, caught her out of the corner of his eye but he knew better not to say anything in response.

Her house was usually the gathering point for night games in the neighborhood. One night the Bucks and Browns decided to coax her outside. Austin tapped on her window then tapped again but no Kelli. Giving up on her they decided to start the game – but behind them they heard a noise and turned and saw Kelli emerging from the darkness swinging her favorite baseball bat….that night she displayed a perfect homerun swing – right to the middle of Austin’s stomach! Laughing at the fact that Austin didn’t turn out to be the burglar she thought was outside her window, she joined the others in having a good laugh at how bad they had scared her.

She was a student at Blackfoot High school and took her school work seriously (well, most of the time). She was a procrastinator and just a few weeks ago seemed to be bragging to her sister about how she could teach Megan how to be a good procrastinator. She was a peacemaker in every sense of the word. She even tried to smooth out the rival between Blackfoot and Snake River High Schools many times since she had friends at both schools.

One of Kelli’s longtime friends has this memory of her. “Maybe in the 4th of 5th grade, I went over to play with Kelli at her house. It was right after school and so we decided to get a little snack. Well, it turns out to be that even though Kelli was abnormally small, she still could eat plenty. For our snack we decided to have some nachos. Kelli opened a fresh new bag of tortilla chips and a massive can of cheese. We sat at the bar and ate our snack while we watched some T.V. and talked. After some time passed, we realized we had eaten the WHOLE bag of chips, which wasn’t the smallest bag in the world, and we scraped the cheese can clean. I was quite surprised at Kelli because I knew I could eat that much but when Kelli had cleaned up the last bit of cheese, I remember wondering where it had gone.”

Kelli was also known for her good looks. She didn’t seem to think so, but all the guys that knew her definitely noticed. Many people adored Kelli. She was one of kind and everyone loved her. So as a result of Kelli being so well known and beautiful, one of her friends asked Kelli to give her flirting lessons. She definitely knew how to flirt. Her advice was to look the boy straight in the eye, not like staring or anything, but just to keep eye contact. Next, was to talk about him and what he likeed to do, and last of all was to act interested in whatever the guy was saying, even it bored you out of your mind.

After she passed away, many people sent cards and wrote letters which included their memories of Kelli. Each of those letters had some similarities, such as the following:

• Kelli was awesome. I never knew a person who didn’t like Kelli.

• I was so glad to have known her.

• Kelli was such a blast.

• She had a strong testimony.

• I feel so blessed and grateful for the time I knew Kelli.

• She was such an inspiration and example to me.

• She never struggled to choose the right and kept me in line.

• She loved to make other people happy and was such a good friend to everyone.

• Kelli loves, she gives love and receives love.

• Kelli earned the respect of her peers.

• I never went to school with Kelli, but I always envisioned her as being the smart girl that finished the test first --- I guess she did it one more time.

• Thanks for all you taught me. You had so much love for everyone. I’ll try to love the way you did.

Kelli had a writing assessment when she was in 8th grade. The subject they had to write on was “My Perfect Day.” Here is what Kelli wrote.

My Perfect Day

By Kelli Parkinson

If I could have any perfect day, I would start by waking up later in the morning, going to the kitchen, have a big, great breakfast and maybe watch a short movie. I would then take a long, refreshing shower, taking as much time as I wanted because my perfect day would consist of many more hours of daylight.

When I was ready, I would go outside and play a game of my favorite sport, softball, with my friends. If we grew tired of play, we would all go shopping, spending a little money and then head to the theater. We would go roller blading, laugh and have a great time.

On my perfect day, I would win a free trip to anywhere in the world. I would get on a plane and fly to Europe! It would be a wonderful, awe-inspiring time seeing all the wonders and beauties of nature.

When the sun started to set, lighting the sky with pink, I would stay in a dazzling hotel, spend time with my family talking of our day, and then head up to my own room.

The lamp next to my bed would be turned on engulfing me with light and I would read. When I become tired, I will flip the light off, flooding the room with peaceful, relaxing darkness and sleep.

Kelli also wrote about what her perfect life would be if she could have one. This is what she wrote.

The Perfect Life

By Kelli Parkinson

My perfect life would be the following: There would be no contention with my family or friends and we would all love and care for each other. I would have many, many friends but there would be just one that stood out from all the others. This one would be my best friend, we would do everything together. I would have all the money I NEEDED. I would have a few things that I WANTED. I would also be very, very spiritual and always strive to do right. I would also be a very learned person, and share all of my knowledge with others and teach what is right.

Kelli mentioned several things to her friends and family before she passed away that made us wonder if she knew she would be leaving us. She told her friends she wanted to become a famous author but didn’t know if she’d live long enough to fulfill that dream. She also told a close friend that if she were ever in a car accident and they took her to the hospital, she would die because she didn’t want to be kept alive. Just about a week before she passed away, she was talking to her family and asked “Are we going to have any fun after this life? Or is it all going to be boring? Do you think there’softball in heaven?” If there’s not softball in heaven, I’m sure Kelli has organized a team. Kelli was happy here in life but never quite content. She mentioned many times to her mom, when things got rough, she just wanted to “go home.” Well, Kelli you’re home now, living with our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother in a very peaceful world.

Her mom found a piece of paper in Kelli’s room with her testimony as follow:

I know that this Church is the only true Church. That Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. He loved me and everyone that He gave his life for so that we might be able to someday live with Him again. He not only died, but suffered our physical pain and guilt. No one has ever been alone as much as He was then. I know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God. He did so much in order for the gospel to be restored. I know that if I live righteously, I will be able to live with my Father and Savior again.