Rev. William C. Parkey

William Coffey Parkey was born on July 29, 1931, on a farm near Paoli, Oklahoma, in the Randolph Community in Garvin County, Oklahoma. He was the son of Robert Olen and Nellie Fay Parkey.

In 1934, C. P. Kilgore held a revival in the Randolph Community and Olen and Fay Parkey received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. From that time on, the family was involved in the apostolic movement and was part of the Pentecostal Church. In 1940, W. C. was baptized in Jesus Name and in 1941, at the age of ten, he received the baptism of the Holy Ghost.

W. C. graduated from the Moore, District 66 grade school, and in 1949, he graduated from the Paoli, Oklahoma High School. In 1954, he graduated from Oklahoma University in Norman, Oklahoma, with a B. A. degree with a major in history, and a minor in English.

In 1953, while a Junior at O. U., he was given his ministerial license with the UPC and became the Secretary of the Oklahoma Youth Department and in 1955, became the President of the Oklahoma Youth Department and continued in this position for the next eight years.

Shortly after graduating from O. U., he preached his first revival in Hope, Arkansas. In September of 1958, he became pastor of the Oneness Pentecostal Church of Sperry, Oklahoma. He was pastoring the church without a wife, until September 23 1961, when he married Betty Lou Morgans, of Claremore, Oklahoma.

In 1962, Pastor W. C. Parkey and the Sperry Church started a daughter work in Independence, Kansas. Also, in 1962, Brother Parkey had become a member of the Radio Commission that was attempting to start a radio broadcast called "Harvestime". At the Dallas, Texas, General Conference the first broadcast of Harvestime was aired. The special song on the first 'Harvestime' broadcast was a song written by author W. C. Parkey, "Don't Let Me Forget (What the Lord's done for Me).”

On February 7, 1963, Elizabeth Elaine was born to the Parkey Family.

In December of 1963, Brother Parkey resigned his church to become the Promotional Director of the Harvestime Broadcast at the United Pentecostal Church headquarters, at 2645 South Grand in St. Louis, Missouri. During this year, he not only traveled promoting Harvestime, but also he was the editor for the periodical "Harvest-Home". At this time, he was serving as the editor of the Youth Magazine, "The Conqueror's Tread!”.

In 1964, he became pastor at The First Pentecostal Church of Kansas City, Missouri, where he served for ten years. At this same time he was the editor of the Missouri District publication, The Missouri District VOICE!

On December 30, 1965 Barbara Lois was born to the Parkey family.

In 1967, the Missouri District voted to have a Bible School. The name, "Gateway College of Evangelism" was chosen, and W. C. Parkey was asked to be the president. During this time he was asked to serve both on the Curriculum Committee and the Board of Publication of the United Pentecostal Church. He also served on the Campus Evangelism committee.

On November 7, 1968, William Robert was born to the Parkey family. On October 27, 1972, Bryan Henry was born. Then in 1974, Brother Parkey was asked once again to return as the president of Gateway College. By this time, it was obvious that in order to guide the school efficiently and effectively it could no longer be a part-time job; so reluctantly, Brother Parkey resigned as pastor to become the President of Gateway College.

In his second term as President, a high school and distance learning program was added. Gateway sponsored a trip to the Holy Land and a publication, called "The Panorama," was instituted with W. C. Parkey as the editor.

In 1980, he became the pastor at First United Pentecostal Church of Poplar Bluff, Missouri. A new church building was built and in 1983 Cornerstone Tabernacle was dedicated. During his time in Poplar Bluff, he served one term as Executive Presbyter of the UPCI, becoming a member of the General Board and the Executive Board.

In the year 2000, his son, Bryan Parkey, became his co-pastor at Cornerstone Tabernacle. In 2002, Brother Parkey retired as pastor and was given the title of Bishop by his church. Since that time, he has completed a book on Proverbs entitled "Treasures and Truths", has completed and published a book of poetry entitled, “Sentimental Journey”, and has completed the manuscript of a book on Ecclesiastes, called "Devotion and Duty".

He passed from this life on August 8, 2011.