Richard Wilbur Parker, Jr.

Richard W. Parker Jr. passed away peacefully on January 11, 2022 at Meritus. He is preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife Jane, his twin sister , and one great-grand daughter. He is survived by his children, David and wife Anne Marie, John and wife Joy, Elizabeth and husband Mark, and Patricia. He also survived by his eight grand children and seven great grand children.

Richard was born with a twin sister, Helen, in Newport News, Virginia on May 6, 1928 to Elizabeth “Betty” Moore and Richard W Parker and grew up in Middlesboro Kentucky. Richard graduated from Berea College Academy and Berea College with a BA in Physics in 1950. He attended Purdue University and graduated with an MS in Aeronautical Engineering, in 1958. At Purdue he was a member of the swim team. He enlisted in the Navy in 1951, and graduated from OCS and was commissioned as an Aviation Officer. While in the Navy he helped develop the first Airborne Early Warning and Control system. He retired from the Navy Reserve as a Lt. Commander in 1974. In his career he was employed by General Dynamics, in Fort Worth, Texas, working on the B-58 project. He worked as a Military Analyst at Research Analysis Corp., in Bethesda, Maryland and as an System Engineer of satellite projects at Autometric Inc., in Arlington, Virgina. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America serving as a Cub Master, Scout Master and held many Commissioner positions. He retired to Tybee Island, Georgia in 1993, finally locating at Penney Farms Retirement Community in Penney Farms, Florida.

There will be a service at Rest Haven Cemetery and Funeral Home on Thursday January 20 with a viewing at 1:00 pm, and service at 2:00 pm. He will then be taken to Penney Farms Florida for a service and burial. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to Berea College.