George Preston Parker

George Preston Parker came into the world as a war baby on July 17, 1943 and would be the second of 5 brothers and a sister. He had wonderful parents Thomas O. and Judith W. Parker. His early life was a joyful time with many friends in the neighborhood. With no TV, no internet, most of his time was spent outdoors with handmade flippers (sling shots) made of real red rubber and they found their mark on many a bird and frog. This seemed OK at the time. He had a wonderful extended family with many cousins and enjoyed many fun times at his grandparents’ farm in Murray, Utah including Christmases, horseback riding, gathering eggs, delicious meals, and hauling hay.

Preston gained an appreciation for nature at an early age from a family cabin, active participation in the Scouts, where he achieved the rank of Eagle before his 14th birthday, and did many hiking and fishing trips throughout his life. He spent 2 summers as a counselor at Camp Roger, a YMCA camp on the Soapstone, road to Mirror Lake, Uinta Mountains in Utah.

Preston was blessed with opportunities to work and earn money at an early age, selling party aprons door-to-door, delivering newspapers, and at age 15 doing construction work. He was proud to have mixed all the mortar, and built all the scaffolding, and installed light fixtures for his parents’ family home on the east bench of Salt Lake City. He also helped build the family cabin and refurbished and maintained his father’s rental properties.

Preston embraced emerging technology and during high school years acquired a General Ham license, call sign K7IGG. He built a 40 meter transmitter from a kit and used a navy surplus receiver and made contacts all over the world. He renewed interest in the later decades of his life and re-acquired the K7IGG call sign he had as a teenager. He delved deeply into computers and networking which became essential as his work relied heavily upon those elements.

In 1961 he worked on a survey crew for the federal government in connection with the construction of the Flaming Gorge dam in eastern Utah. At 19 Preston enlisted in the Army Reserve and served as a radio operator.

In 1963 Preston accepted a call to serve 30 months as a missionary in France for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He loved the French people and remained proficient in the language throughout his life. He later served as a Scoutmaster several times, ward and stake clerk, was a counselor in a bishopric, Stake High Counselor, and Stake Executive Secretary. Preston was blessed with a spiritual conviction as to the reality and validity of the restoration of the Church of Jesus Christ through the prophet Joseph Smith and the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.

Preston met Marilee Naef while working part time at Beneficial Life Insurance Company while he was studying at the University of Utah. He was smitten and after a short courtship they were married in February, 1968. Preston had enrolled at the “U”, took on heavy class loads, did summer school, and passed a French test for credit, worked part-time and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting in June 1968 debt free. The newly weds left Salt Lake in a Studebaker Lark pulling a small U Haul trailer to work in Los Angeles for Price Waterhouse, one of the largest international accounting firms. After 2 ½ years they grew weary of the congestion and smog and Preston accepted a controllership with Snarr Advertising, Inc. a regional sign company in Salt Lake City. They had started their family with Brent in California, then added Katherine, Bryce, Lisa, and Brad in Utah.

In 1979, Preston successfully ran unopposed as Treasurer for the Utah Republican Party. He served two years and was elected again for a second term. He believes his greatest accomplishment as Treasurer, was having no scandals.

Snarr Advertising divested itself of assets so Preston engaged in public practice in Utah and associated with Darrel Roberts CPA, a close friend and mentor. In 1994 the family moved to Scottsdale Arizona where Preston built a small CPA practice with the help of a dear friend John Beemer. Preston loved his clients and looked at his professional practice as a secular ministry.

Preston loved the arts and music. As a teen he studied organ with Roy Darley, and piano with his mother. He played the trombone in the school band. He was in the cast for several plays with the Salt Lake Repertory Theatre. In Arizona he was a member of a barbershop chorus and sang with the Scottsdale North Stake Choir for many years.

Preston and Marilee enjoyed traveling including the US, Egypt, Israel, England, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Montreal and elsewhere.

The family towed a camp trailer behind their station wagon and eventually owned a motor home for many fun times in Moab, St. George, Flaming Gorge, Lake Powell to name a few. During trips to Moab, a created creature dubbed the “Rockpecker” came to life in the conversation and accounted for the many holes the family saw in the sandstone cliffs.

Preston enjoyed buying, selling, and renting residential real estate. He was a partner in a venture that built a 15-unit apartment building and he has owned many apartments and homes.

Preston and Marilee volunteered as Wilderness Rangers with the US Forest Service in the Sawtooth Wildlife Preserve in Idaho. They served as temple workers at the Mesa Temple and have given of their time and means to many community, church and humanitarian projects.

Preston volunteered his accounting expertise at the Northern Utah Center for the Arts (formerly the Fine Arts Center) in Brigham City, until only weeks before his death.

Although he didn’t participate in high school and college teams, Preston became more athletic as an adult. He was a consistent runner for 30 years, completed three marathons and many 10K events. Whether he was skiing, in-line skating, cliff jumping, or just falling down the stairs, Preston had many spectacular wipeouts but avoided breaking any bones. During the last decade of his life, he was an avid urban mountain biker.

Preston had a wide variety of interests and experiences and while most might be deemed mediocre, not achieving widespread recognition, considered together they constituted a rich and full life.

In 2020 Preston was diagnosed with throat cancer and underwent a complete laryngectomy followed with a series of radiation treatments. When a similar cancer was found in his lung the following year, without the expectation of a cure, he underwent six treatments of chemotherapy and a 2-year program of immunotherapy. He continued working through 2022 and was positive and upbeat despite facing these challenges.

Preston is survived by his wife Marilee, children Brent (Valeri) Katherine (Jason), Bryce, Lisa (Sam), and Brad (Jami). Preston and Marilee have been blessed with 12 grandchildren. For Preston, family was his greatest accomplishment in life. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Tom.

An evening gathering for family and friends will take place on Sunday, October 4, 2026 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2620 W 6980 N, Honeyville, UT 84314. A visitation prior to service will be held on Monday, October 5, 2026, from 9:30 am to 10:30 am at the same location. The funeral service will follow beginning at 11:00 am. Interment will take place the same day at 3:00 pm at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 S. Highland Drive, Millcreek, UT 84106, US.