William Oscar Parker Jr.

(Bill)

January 21, 1925 – April 11, 2015

Charlotte – Mr. Parker, 90, of Charlotte, NC, passed quickly of heart failure into the hands of God, April 11, 2015 at his home of 59 years.

Born in Wolf Mountain, NC, he was the eldest son of William Oscar Parker and Amanda Stutts Parker. A 1942 graduate of Mill Spring NC High School, Bill briefly attended Brevard College before reporting to USNR Great Lakes training station in 1943. He was recommended for the Navy V-12 officer program at Illinois Institute of Technology, where he received his Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering and his commission. Bill served as assistant engineering officer on the U.S.S. Henry R. Kenyon until the end of the war, and in the Naval Reserves until 1959, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant JG.

In October 1947, Bill began a career with Duke Power that would last 42 years. On Sept 24, 1948, Bill married Anita Egerton of Mill Spring, N.C., and the newlyweds moved to Cliffside, NC where he worked as an assistant boiler room engineer at Cliffside Steam Station. After progressive assignments, in 1955, the young engineer (PE) was transferred to Steam Department general office staff in Charlotte. He and Anita built their permanent residence in south Charlotte, crafting most of the home by hand. There he built a career and a family, always having time for both. Bill retired from Duke Power in 1990 as the Vice President of Fossil Production, having served as the VP of both the Nuclear & Fossil divisions. Both divisions were recognized for being leaders in the industry.

In the community, Bill was also sought after as a steady voice of gentle reason. He served as president or board director for many organizations, including Charlotte North Rotary, ASME, Junior Achievement, Boy Scouts, Charlotte Engineers Club, Prime Movers, Edison Electric Institute, Drawing Management, Kindermourn, and Planned Parenthood. He was an active member of Providence United Methodist Church, especially loving the comradery of the Men’s class. He most recently received volunteer of the year award from the Duke Retirees Club.

He loved back-packing (especially the Alps), camping (Black Mountain campground a favorite), surf fishing at Topsail Island and fishing for cats on Lake Norman, hunting (a founding and still active member of Skybusters Dove Hunting Club), tennis, competitive sailing, woodworking, gardening (enough to feed the neighborhood) and traveling the world with Anita. He loved watching sports, especially reveling in seeing his grandchildren play baseball/softball, football nd basketball, although Bill cheered just as enthusiastically for less familiar games. He never met an object he didn’t think he could fix, and spent many happy hours building and re-building in his home and those of his lucky family and neighbors.

He is survived by his brother, Grady Parker of Lynchburg Va.; sister, Evelyn Patrick of St. Louis, Mo.; daughter, Ann Parker Croom, of Catonsville, Md., and son, William David Parker, Sr., of Monroe, NC. Bill was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Anita Egerton Parker; his daughter, Donna Lee Parker; and his sister, Lorene Barnes. He adored, and was very present, in the lives of his five grandchildren: Benjamin Parker Croom, Natalie Lynn Croom, Kathryn Leigh Parker, Samuel Mason Parker, and William David Parker Jr.

Memorial services will be held Thursday, April 16, 3 pm, at Providence United Methodist Church. Visitation time and a reception will be held immediately following the service in the church atrium. Burial with Navy Honors will be private.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial contributions to the Anita Egerton Parker Scholarship Fund, UNCG Advancement Services, PO Box 26170, Greensboro, NC 27402, or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.