He leaves his beloved wife of many years, Nancy Schmalbach Parker, his daughter and son-in-law, Amy Parker Melanson and Scott Melanson, and two granddaughters, Victoria Melanson and Kylie Melanson. He was predeceased by his son, Mark W. Parker, Jr., and his two brothers,
Joseph Clifford Parker, Jr. (“J.C.”) and Philip Parker.
Mark was born and grew up in Syracuse, New York, where he later met his wife, Nancy. Mark lived life courageously and independently on his own terms - - private, but outgoing, steadfastly loyal to friends and family, compassionate and kind to others, especially to animals, a life-long learner, and a lover of nature and laughter. He was inspired by the foundational poem “The Dash,” written by Linda Ellis in 1996, and tried to live his life by its example. Mark worked in the commercial property casualty insurance business for nearly 50 years, and reveled in the challenging and analytical aspects of the discipline. He earned two degrees in Psychology and Business/Marketing from Syracuse University, and regularly took courses in several different areas while he was working so as to “broaden his horizons.” Mark and his wife moved to Cape Cod in 2014, where they had a house designed and built for their retirement years. Mark loved Cape Cod for its natural scenic beauty, and enjoyed many of its simple pleasures, such as quietly sitting outside in the backyard of his home watching the Cape’s beautiful sunsets and waiting for the stars appear in the western sky. Mark enjoyed long-term relationships with many business associates, childhood and adult friends, and neighbors in several areas of the U.S. where he and wife lived and worked over the years, and he will be keenly missed.
Dear memories of Mark will remain in our thoughts and our hearts.
A funeral mass to bless and celebrate Mark’s life will be held at Holy Trinity Church, 246 Main Street (Rte. 28), West Harwich, MA 02671 on Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 10:00 AM.
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