Wayne Parker

Jackson in 1960. He subsequently graduated from the University of Mississippi in 1964 with a B.B.A. degree, obtained an M.B.A. degree from the University of Texas in Austin, Texas in 1965, and received the Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1968. He is the recipient of an honorary doctorate from William Carey College in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. After finishing his law degree, Wayne joined his father in the real estate development business in Jackson, and has been active in real estate development for forty-six years.

During his business career, Wayne developed and invested in real estate projects in Mississippi and beyond. He was on the board of directors of several publicly traded companies and banks. He served on the board of directors of several civic organizations, and was a member of the Mississippi Electoral College that elected President George Bush in 2004.

Wayne was most interested in his work with charitable organizations. He was a former member of the National Board of Directors of the American Diabetes Association, and was co-chairman, with Paul Volcker, of the Fiftieth Anniversary National CURE Campaign for the American Diabetes Association. He was also a former member of the National Board of Directors of the ADA Research Foundation. He was the recipient of the Charles H. Best Award. Wayne is a former member and chairman of the Board of Trustees of Mississippi College. In 2008, he was the recipient of the Mississippi College Alumni Association's Award of Excellence selected from non-alumni supporters of Mississippi College.

During the last ten years of his life, much of Wayne’s time, resources, and energy was devoted to The LifeShare Foundation, a private foundation which helps meet needs in the lives of some of Mississippi’s most underprivileged and disadvantaged children. The missions of the Foundation have primarily consisted of providing help and assistance to children at the Mississippi Schools for the Blind and Deaf, the Magnolia Speech School, Mississippi College students, the LifeShare Assistive Technology Ministry, and the LifeShare Community Ministry, an inner city ministry for children at risk. Wayne considered The LifeShare Foundation his greatest legacy, subject only to his family.

Wayne was a member, for forty-four years, of Northminster Baptist Church where he had served as a member of the Board of Deacons and the Men' Sunday School Class.

He is preceded in death by his father, Richard T. Parker, and mother, Ruby Boyd Parker, and one brother, Thomas Earl Parker. He is survived by his wife of forty-four years, Zeita Redfield Tupper Parker, and two children, Rick Parker of Jackson and Zeita Parker Jones (Matt) of Nashville, Tennessee and three grandchildren, Tyler, Audrey, and Matthew Jones of Nashville. He is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Brenda and Dr. Benton Hilbun of Tupelo, Mississippi and their three children and spouses; Benton and Jenni Hilbun, Kevin and Karen Hilbun and Parker and Shane Spees and six grandchildren. The family wishes to thank friends, neighbors, business colleagues and hospice. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to The Pastors’ Benevolence Fund at Northminster Baptist Church, or to your favorite charity.

On behalf of the remaining family, we would like to acknowledge what an honor and privilege it was to be the wife, son and daughter of a man of such integrity and character.

Visitation will begin at 11:30am, with the funeral to follow at 2:00pm, Monday, January 9th, at Northminster Baptist Church, 3955 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS.