John L. Parker

John L. Parker September 25, 1918 – August 25, 2015 John L. Parker Sr. passed away peacefully at his home in Springfield, Virginia with his loving wife by his side exactly one month before his 97th birthday. John was the beloved son of Walter Parker and Helen Shultz, brother of Robert Parker, Willard Parker, Richard Parker, Marie Martin, and uncle to many. His first wife, Ingeborg W. Parker, preceded John in death in 1971. John married Zoe H. Parker in 1979. John was the caring father of John L. Parker Jr. (Karen R. Parker) and Stephen R. Parker (Michele K. Parker), grandfather of Evan C. Parker, Anna R. Parker, Helen A. Parker, and Stephanie M. Parker, and friend to many. To all that were lucky to know him, John was a person of good humor, kindness, and was always eager to share stories from the past. John always had the best interest of others at heart, enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1941 in place of his brother who was their family’s main support. This selfless act shaped his life into one for the history books! John served in World War II under General George Patton’s Third Army. He was part of the 65th Division, which liberated German concentration camps. John continued in the Army, served during the Korean War , and made the Army his career. In 1953 John was assigned to Taiwan to train the Nationalist Army under Chiang Kai Shek on how to use U.S. Army military equipment. He and his fellow officers were invited to have tea and crumpets with Madame and General Chiang Kai Shek in their spacious home. He retired as a Major in 1961 with 20 years of service. He and his family settled in Annandale, Virginia where he was employed by the Intelligence Threat Analysis Center under the Department of Defense. He retired from the government in 1985 with 43 years of combined Army and Civil service. John was a faithful member at Bethlehem Lutheran Church where he sang in the choir and prepared the church bulletin every Friday. John enjoyed traveling around the world with his wife Zoe, building models, collecting miniature soldiers, sailing on the Chesapeake, bicycling, and he was a model train aficionado. His grandchildren will always remember their grandpa and how he shared his love and enthusiasm for his model trains. A funeral will be held to celebrate John’s life on Monday, August 31st at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Annandale, Virginia at 11:00. The interment will follow at a future date at Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 8922 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax, VA 22031.