Lewis G. Parham Jr. of Merrimac, formerly of Haverhill, died Saturday, July 19, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston after being stricken ill.

"Everywhere he went, people thought the world of him. He was always such a happy person. I loved my son dearly. He was what I called 'my treasure," said Shirley Parham, his mother.

Born and raised in the Acre section of Haverhill, he was the son of Shirley (Gray) Parham and the late Lewis G. Parham Sr.

He attended Haverhill public schools and was a graduate of Haverhill Trade School, Class of 1960. Upon graduation he enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves, serving proudly for six years.

"He served in-country during the Vietnam War before being honorably discharged," his mother said.

Mr. Parham relocated to Merrimac 35 years ago, where he enjoyed tending to and riding horses.

"Ever since he was just 4 or 5 years old, he would sit watching Westerns on the television. He lived for horses," his mother said.

While his mother worked the second shift at AT&T, he would work in a friend's garden weeding after school just to make enough money for his first horse.

"His first horse had a lame leg. He used his grandfather's books from school to help heal it. That horse, which he loved more than life, lived for 40 years," his mother said.

Mr. Parham always put his horses first, even before himself.

"His horses were his very first love. He would always feed them first even if he had not eaten yet. He would run his own health down to care for them," she said.

Mr. Parham also got a horse-pulling sleigh, on which he would take his mother and sister for rides in the winter.

"Every child, and even adult, should have something they love to do and care for. For him, it was his horses," his mother said.

Seven years ago, Mr. Parham built a barn for his horses.

"I never could have imagined something so beautiful. It is still standing and the horses are still enjoying it. It's just magnificent," she said.

He was employed as a quality assurance liaison for more than 30 years, retiring in 2002. He received an award in recognition of exemplary contribution and commitment to the ESD process in February of 1998. Recipients of the award were to be role models for their co-workers, peers and management, which Mr. Parham was to a tee, his mother said.

Dealing with complications of diabetes all of his life, he volunteered to repair talking books for the Perkins School for the Blind once a week on Tuesdays.

"He even got an award from Congress for repairing them in regards to what they were saving the government for repairing the books themselves. Without fail, he would get out of bed early and fix them," his mother said.

Mr. Parham got involved with the school following a stroke in 2004.

"It was his gift to pay back everyone that helped him walk and talk again after his stroke. He felt he had to do something to repay everyone's kindness they had shown to him," his mother said.

He also generously donated his time to other such worthy causes, always saving time for his family, especially his mother.

"He was always helping people whenever he could, especially me, his mama. He'd do anything I needed to have done just so that I wouldn't have to do it. He would drive me wherever I needed to go and I would make him dinner. It was my little way of making sure I saw him at least three times a week. He was just an amazing person, and he will be missed so much by so many," his mother said.

He leaves his mother, Shirley G. (Gray) Parham of Haverhill, a sister- and brother-in-law, Linda J. and Robert A. Wheeler of Pomona, Calif., a niece, Laura J. Barnes and her husband Daniel S. III, a grandnephew, Daniel S. Barnes IV of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., uncles and aunts, Robert Gray of Lawrence, Henry and Kitty Gray, Arthur and Carol Gray all of Salem, N.H., Marjorie Bibeau of Homosassa, Fla., and Pearl H. Roy of Windsor, Conn.

Friends and family may call on Friday, July 25, at the Kevin B. Comeau Funeral Home, 486 Main St., Haverhill, from 4 to 7 p.m. A memorial service will be Saturday, July 26, at 11 a.m. in the Second Baptist Church, Amesbury Line Road, Haverhill. Burial will take place at the convenience of the family.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Perkins School for the Blind, 175 N. Beacon St., Watertown, MA 02472.