Kenneth W Parker

Kenneth Whitten Parker, 85, of Little Rock died Wednesday, July 30, 2014. Mr. Parker was born February 20, 1929, in Conway, Arkansas. He graduated from Hendrix College in 1950 with a dual major in History and Political Science while working full-time as a reporter at the Log Cabin Democrat. Upon graduation, he began working at the Arkansas Gazette as a general assignment reporter and was promoted later that year to Assistant State News Editor. He served as State News Editor from 1952 until 1960. During this time, he was often recruited for correspondent and contract work by other publications, including Time Magazine and Encyclopedia Britannica. In 1960, he shifted his career to public relations. Mr. Parker was the first Arkansan to be accredited by the Public Relations Society of America. He served as spokesman for Arkansas Valley Industries (Dardanelle), Georgia Pacific (Crossett) and Murphy Oil Corporation (El Dorado) before returning to Little Rock where he worked for Reynolds Aluminum and the Arkansas Bankers Association.

He served as Scout Master for his son’s Boy Scouts of America troop in El Dorado, and he beamed with pride presenting each badge earned by the boys he mentored. He was dedicated to helping boys participate in scouting, often arranging donations of uniforms and equipment to those whose parents could not afford the costs. One of his proudest moments was when his son achieved Eagle Scout.

Mr. Parker was active in the Rotary Club for 54 years and a member of the Downtown Little Rock Club No. 99 for 39 of those years. It was there he developed many cherished friendships. Club 99 recognized his work by naming him a Paul Harris Fellow and a Sid Brooks Fellow. He enjoyed serving as the Club’s historian and worked with Past President David Menz to write the history of Club 99 from 1975 to 2005. One of his favorite Rotary assignments was chairing the Ottenheimer International Youth Program which placed him in the role of host and American father to young men and women from around the world each summer. He and Mrs. Parker welcomed the summer guests into their home and made them a part of the family while regularly corresponding with their parents and assuring them that their children were safe and well monitored. He maintained contact with most of the guests long after their departure, but none more faithfully than his Swiss son, Peter Hauenstein, who called every Christmas morning and returned for visits when possible, the latest being in late 2013.

After retiring his Arkansas Driver License, his dear friend, Dr. James Pappas, saw to it that he had transportation to and from Rotary meetings each Tuesday. He looked forward to this weekly outing, not only for the fellowship but for the bread pudding smothered in whiskey sauce.

He stood for fair and equal treatment of each person, a trait that intensified after witnessing firsthand school integration events that forever changed this country. He pushed for positive change, such as hiring Murphy Oil Corporation’s first African American executive secretary and proudly accompanied her to the executive dining room until all raised eyebrows relaxed. He also supported equal rights for women in the workplace and taught his daughters that being treated equally depends largely on their work product meeting or exceeding that of their male counterparts. He looked forward to seeing the country’s first female president.

Mr. Parker took great pride in keeping a promise he made to himself as a child. His father was the chief of the Conway Fire Department, and the fire station was the polling site. He envied the adults that arrived to vote but was disheartened after hearing many complain their vote didn’t count. He vowed he would never miss an opportunity to cast his ballot and saw this act as the very essence of being an American. He served as public relations consultant to many seeking political office. He enjoyed semi-retirement by publishing Arkansas Legislative Report (a daily summary of all bills introduced and actions taken by the Arkansas General Assembly). He also published a monthly summary of Arkansas Workers Compensation Commission opinions and prepared law briefs for attorneys appealing cases to higher courts.

In his retirement, Mr. Parker spent hours researching genealogy and traced his roots to the 1600s. He also served as Eucharistic Minister at St. Edward Catholic Church and St. Vincent Infirmary. He was a favored lector at Mass because of his booming radio announcer-like voice. He was a master storyteller, known for his humor and his ability to retain odd facts that others would have to Google.

Mr. Parker was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Charlene Lester Parker. He worked hard to win her affection, but solidified the partnership by making her stay true to her promise to marry him if he got rid of his ugly Studebaker. Mr. & Mrs. Parker thoroughly enjoyed their time together and often cooked up innovative ways to respond to their children’s boredom, such as sending them outside with salt shakers after explaining “if you shake salt on a bird’s tail feathers, you can catch it”. They started each morning together over cups of coffee and tea, watched “As the World Turns” over lunch, danced to the music of Lawrence Welk in the kitchen while cooking dinner and giggled at British comedy reruns every Saturday night.

Upon his work desk, he displayed a Bible verse that best sums up the manner in which he lived his life:

I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. (Philippians 4:11)

Mr. Parker is survived by his children, Nancy Martinsen, Mark Parker and Mary Ruth Parker (all of Little Rock) and brother, Richard Parker (of Mt. Crawford, Virginia).

The family wishes to thank the caring professionals and health care providers of CHI St. Vincent Health System, especially Jamie Jones (Patient Relations Coordinator), Angie Longing (Executive Director of Nursing) and Melissa Morgan (4NW Nurse Manager), and the staff at Premier Health & Rehabilitation and Arkansas Hospice. In addition, gratitude is extended to Mr. Parker’s long-time primary care physician, Dr. Sue Ulmer, and his friend and cardiologist, Dr. Drew Kumpuris, for the care they provided over the years.