Marjorie Parker was born on Mulga Downs Station but her birthdate was not recorded at the time. Rather, her birthdate is taken from her mother's citizenship papers and Parker believes this is probably a rough guess rather than an accurate record. Parker attended Onslow Primary School and then Derby High School for three years. During her school years, Parker lived at boarding hostels. After leaving school Parker wanted to become a nurse but was too young, so she went to work as a housemaid at Nanutarra Station until she was seventeen. Her nurse training through the Department for Community Services took her to Mount Henry Private Hospital and then on to Collie District Hospital. In 1972 she went to work for the Carnarvon District Hospital. Over the years, Parker has worked in a number of jobs, including caring for Aboriginal children in hostels, but later returned to her preferred career as an aged care nurse. In 1993, Parker attended the Puntukurnaparna Western Desert Women's Council at the remote Well Thirty Three Community.
