Michael Hoyt Parker

He was born October 9th, 1952, in Bear River, Nova Scotia, the youngest child of Malcolm Parker and Geraldine (Purdy). Mike grew up playing baseball, hunting and fishing with his father, and getting into trouble for talking too much at Oakdene School. Mike was the fourth in his family to attend Acadia University and graduated in 1975.

From a young age Mike was always up for a chinwag and enjoyed listening to the stories being told at his father’s general store, the Bear River Trading Company. This love for history and desire to preserve stories and images led to Mike publishing many books and being called Nova Scotia’s Storyteller. His books capture diverse themes of Nova Scotia’s history including ghost towns, general stores, railway, firefighting, and multiple communities. Inspired by his father Malcolm, who was an accomplished guide, many of Mike’s books tell the stories of hunting, fishing, and guiding in Nova Scotia circa 1900. An oral historian, he interviewed dozens of men and women whose memories of lived events formed the basis of his early work. Mike also provided heritage programming as a guest speaker and consultant for various organizations and agencies, and as an educator for the Writers in the Schools program.

In addition to his career as a writer, Mike was a residence counsellor at Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority (APSEA), where he helped children experiencing vision loss and/or hearing loss.

Mike spent many summers coaching youth baseball for the Dartmouth Mariners, leading teams to provincial championships. He believed in equal playing time for everyone and each game ended with licorice for the players.

First taken in the woods in a pack basket, Mike always felt connected to the outdoors. He attended Nova Scotia’s inaugural Professional Guides School in the early 1980s where he earned a master guide license. He operated Nebooktook Outfitters throughout the 1980s, guiding wilderness canoe trips and back country tours in Southwestern Nova Scotia. In later years, he sought the comfort of his camp whenever possible. He would spend his time there splitting wood, playing crib, and calling to the loons on the lake. He was proud to share his love of the outdoors and the camp with his wife, children, and grandchildren.

More than anything, Mike loved his family. He met the love of his life, Helen (Ryan), shortly after moving to Halifax and they were married for 47 years until his passing. His children Matthew (Carly) Parker and Emily (Amin) Parker are immensely grateful for the time they had with their dad and are so very proud of the legacy he leaves behind. Mike loved spending time with his grandchildren and could usually be found playing crazy eights with Cyrus, reading a book with Maya, and sneaking chocolate milk to Quinn. He was looking forward to meeting Baby this fall. He is survived by his siblings Neal (Imrie), Gerry (Sheila), and Mary Lou (Peter), brothers-in-law Roger (Brenda) Ryan and Jack (Sharelle) Ryan, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Mike always showed up for and took care of his family, friends, and neighbours. He will be deeply missed.

Celebration of Life will take place at the Life Branch Church, 10 Lancaster Dr. in Dartmouth on October 16th from 1:00 – 3:00pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute or in support of the CNIB.