Willard Tolman Parker Sr

Willard Tolman Parker, Sr. of Dennis, previously of Dedham and Walpole, died at his home in Dennis, Massachusetts on January 12th, surrounded by his family. He was born on July 19, 1933 in Norwood, Massachusetts, the son of the late Howard Robinson Parker and Elizabeth (Tolman) Parker of Dedham, Massachusetts.

Willard graduated from Dedham High School in 1951, leaving behind a legacy of memorable pranks and shenanigans. Even decades later, friends and classmates would fondly recall his escapades whenever they gathered. With a quick wit and a twinkle in his eye, he could charm virtually anyone, from jaded teachers to hospital nurses and he will be missed by all who knew him.

Despite pressure to conform to “college then career”, Willard opted to forge his own path. He enlisted in the Naval Reserves while still in high school, then served two years active duty (1951-1953) aboard the USS Cabot as she patrolled off the shores of Cuba, Jamaica and Haiti. After his four years of naval service, he briefly attended Northeastern University before abandoning that path to learn carpentry.

His eye for detail and natural artistic ability proved to be invaluable assets as he became a highly sought-after finish carpenter, eventually specializing in the more challenging realm of custom staircases. His work was constantly in demand by some of the area’s top builders and a number of high-profile residents, including New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox players and coaches. Remodeling News Greater Boston selected him for a photo feature in their September 1992 edition.

Never one to sit still, he preferred to have a “to-do” list whenever he visited his children. Their homes are filled with his work, from staircases and mantels to furniture and clocks, and his grandchildren are well-equipped to ensure they never go through life without the proper tools. After retiring and relocating to Dennis in 2000, he kept busy by fulfilling his longtime dream of building a full-sized cedar strip canoe that he finally launched in Scargo Lake, and reconstructing a massive stone wall, a project that endeared him to his neighbors as “the wall man.”

Willard was preceded in death by his infant daughter Sarah Crane Parker, his brother-in-law Reginald Brown and his niece Linda Brown. He is survived by his wife Barbara (Watson), his high school sweetheart and partner of more than 68 years, his sister Nancy (Parker) Brown of Boxborough, Mass., his son Willard Tolman “Todd” Parker, Jr. (Michelle) of Herndon, Virginia, his daughter Amy (Parker) Verdin (Tom) of Springfield, Virginia, his grandchildren Nicole Verdin, Andrew Verdin, Sarah Parker and Robert Parker, his granddog Brady and his nieces Cynthia Nye, Susan Brown, Katie Graham and Jennifer Thornton. A visitation will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2025 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. at Doane, Beal & Ames Funeral Home in Dennis, Mass. In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or locally Heroes in Transition.