John Parker

John Parker, 80, of Centennial, Colorado, died on Monday, May 2, 2022. Although his health declined these past few months, he still spent quality time with family and friends, imparting his wisdom and poignant advice, much as he did throughout his life. John had an impressive career with many accolades bestowed upon him, but his greatest accomplishments were the relationships in his life—those that he now leaves behind.

If you were lucky enough to know John, you likely fell under his charismatic spell at least once. You couldn’t help but follow him—his refined charm, his unmatchable intellect, and his carefully honed guidance made him an easy person to trust. John was a good listener and was quick with a story that always contained a piece of advice. He genuinely cared about people and strived to make those around him the best versions of themselves.

As the oldest of seven siblings, John was a natural leader among the Parker clan. Born in Alameda, California, John and his family moved around to Ft. Worth, TX, Portland, OR, Meridian, MS, and Denver, CO. He is preceded in death by parents Champ and Barbara Parker and brothers Tim Parker (Linda), Paul Parker (Patti), and Patric Parker. He is survived by his wife, children and grandchildren, as well as by siblings Peter Parker (Linda), Ann Davis (Kyle), and Michael Parker, along with many cousins, nieces, and nephews across the country.

John often said that his meaning in life was his four children: Jeffrey Parker (Karen), Jason Parker (Angela), Amanda Parker (James Bautsch), and Emily Parker (Shelby Drulis). He raised his children to value curiosity, persistence, compassion, humor, the arts, and, most importantly, each other and the people in their lives. He adored his six grandchildren—David and Joseph Parker (Jeffrey), Nathan and Daniel Parker (Jason), and Violet and Olive Parker Bautsch (Amanda)—and his greatest joy was spending time with them and watching them grow. John was the epitome of a proud father and grandfather, cheering them on in their careers, bragging about their accomplishments, and showing off photos to anyone who would look.

His wife and the love of his life, Betty Parker, was his faithful partner for 38 years. They were truly a team and shared a lifetime of love and adventures. After John retired, they traveled around the world—from Spain to Russia, Panama to Sweden, and everywhere in between. They supported each other in every endeavor, great or small, such as raising their children or completely remodeling their home and garden in Centennial.

John attended the Georgia Institute of Technology before transferring to the University of Colorado, where he graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering. He enlisted in the Air Force during the Vietnam War and served his country as a nuclear weapons specialist.

Upon his return to civilian life, John worked as a rocket scientist at Martin Marietta and then Lockheed Martin for nearly 40 years. He quite literally sent rockets to the moon, working on missions that changed the course of history—such as Peacekeeper, Apollo, Viking, and Atlas. He traveled around the country, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California to Louisiana, Houston and Florida, overseeing (and, undoubtedly mentoring) thousands of employees. John retired as a Vice President in 2007.

Education was especially important to John, always ensuring that his children and grandchildren never stop learning. In recent years, John instructed fellow lifelong learners at Sierra College about the perils of a declining democracy and the importance of civic engagement. He found it particularly rewarding to discuss current events and even founded a monthly family “salon” to discuss topical books with his siblings, children, grandchildren, nephews, and nieces. Even as the “smartest man in the room,” John never stopped learning, while teaching and inspiring others to do the same. Hopefully the John Parker spirit lives on within his family and friends, nudging you to indulge your own curiosities to become the best version of yourself—it’s most definitely what he would have wanted.

Services will be held on Saturday, May 7 at Horan & McConaty (11150 E Dartmouth Ave, Aurora) at 11am. All are welcome, and a reception will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Planned Parenthood or the ACLU in John's memory.

See more photos of John Parker here .

Please share your memories of John and condolences with his family by signing the tribute wall in the link above.