Editor's Note: Parker Pest Control a Ponca City based firm, founded by Dick and Margie Parker, is celebrating the 45th anniversary in business. Brad Parker is the president.

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The year was 1963. Parker Pest Control was born in January. The first office was in a home on Turner Road by Dick and Margie Parker.

Dick did all the technical work as well as writing the advertising.

Margie Parker answered the phone, kept the books, did the scheduling (one employee), raised three children, cooked meals, cleaned house and on and on.

The office was moved to a house converted into two offices on South Fourteenth Street. After two months, a building was found on North Fourteenth next to Evans and Associates, which was bought and remodeled to fit the needs. The company stayed there until constructing an office building on Lake Road in 1969.

The first hired secretary went to work in the North Fourteenth building. Margie was tired of working for Dick. One day when she was talking with Neva Balduff, who said her mother was a secretary without a job.

Brad, the ten year old son, helped Dick trim trees, in fact, a customer invited Brad in for cookies and milk when they were through. They were impressed with the way Brad worked with his dad.

Dick bought a used one and a half ton flatbed truck, found a used 500 gallon tree sprayer and mounted the sprayer in 1963. The tree business sustained the company for the first three years.

In 1964 a used 1959 three quarter ton GMC truck was purchased and mounted with a 200 hundred gallon sprayer mainly for tree spraying. The same year a 1958 Chevrolet pick-up was purchased from George Walker in Ponca City for $500 for termite and pest control work.

Part time employees were used for the first several years. These included a fireman and two teen-aged boys. The building on North Fourteenth was sold and four acres was purchased on Lake Road, where up an office and warehouse complex, about 5,000 square feet, was built. Later two more buildings were added for storage and equipment.

Meanwhile the pest control business was growing. Two women were hired for the office staff and three technicians. The business was growing at a fast rate.

In the mid 1970's Parker Pest bought Craig Pest Control in Enid, then expanded services to Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Later an office was established in Wichita.

Another company was then started a company in Los Angeles with Brad, who grew up in the business, Dick Parker and Bob Scopel as owners. About that same time a device called the P.E.S.T. machine was invented by Dick Parker and employees.

Brad Parker joined the company full-time when he was 21. He was appointed president of the company in 1993.

The land on Lake Road for the office was purchased from Dick Sturdevant. Sturdevant negotiated a land trade including the building on North Fourteenth with Evans and Associates, then, prepared the lot and installed Parker Place Street and utilities.

The people of Ponca City have been loyal and helpful in establishing and helping Parker Pest Control grow, the Parkers say.

The company had long-term contracts for pest control for Conoco and the hospital in Ponca City. Also long-time service contracts with Oklahoma City and the Wichita zoo. They serviced a number of Oklahoma City Municipal buildings.

The firm had offices in Stillwater and Enid and licensed for pest control in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Texas, as well as, Oklahoma.

Brad and Dick are both past presidents of Ambucs and the Oklahoma Pest Control Association. Dick taught a school for technicians in Oklahoma.

When the Parker began the company they had no savings, but borrowed $350 from Margie's parents so that they could buy a truck. The finances were close to nil. Margie said, "We always had faith that we would have money come in to pay our bills — sure enough we did. I remember the first year we needed about $100 to pay our taxes. Dick suggested we borrow money, but I said we must wait, the checks came in that afternoon, and we paid our taxes.

"Once after that, the firm ran out of money and needed to buy vehicles and equipment. The president of First National Bank, Frank Overstreet, loaned us money with very little collateral because he said that 'we need another pest control company in Ponca City.'"

Camille, Margie's daughter, wore hand-me-down clothes from a friend in California. Brad wanted matching shirts and trousers, like the cool guys wore. He made blue jeans popular, Margie said.

The company was open six and a half days a week, from sun up to dusk most of the time.

Parker continues to operate in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Enid, Wichita, Stillwater and Ponca City as well as the Los Angeles business. A few months ago Parker Pest was performing monthly Pest Elimination for almost 1,000 restaurants in the three state areas.

The Parkers say "Ponca City has been great to the Parker family and all of its employees. We believe in giving back to our community and have donated and been active in AMBUCS, Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Ponca City School systems and many other organizations."