Gerald Lewis Parker

Jerry spent his early years between Salt Lake City, Utah and Phoenix, Arizona, before his parents tried southern California and settled their family in Garden Grove. He graduated from Garden Grove High School in 1958.

That fall, Jerry moved to Boston, Massachusetts, to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and joined Phi Sigma Kappa, where he made many lifelong friendships. Jerry earned two degrees at MIT: a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (BSEE, 1962) and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering (MSEE, 1964).

While at MIT, Jerry met his future wife, Diana Frye, at a fraternity mixer in October 1958. They developed a deep and abiding friendship that lasted more than six decades. They married in Wilton, New Hampshire, at the First Unitarian Congregational Church on 6 June 1962. He and Diana sealed their marriage commitment in the Los Angeles California Temple on 25 September 1964.

Jerry's career spanned 1964-2003 in Santa Clara County, California. He worked for Siliconix (Group Manager of Timing Products, 1964-1981), Accusplit Incorporated (President, 1981-1983), Testar Corporation (Chairman and CEO, 1984-1987), Epitaxy Systems (VP and GM, 1987-1988), Cylink (Director of Manufacturing, 1988-1999), and Expandable Software (VP of Business Development, 2000-2003).

Of all his titles, Jerry loved being called Husband, Dad, Grandpa, and Great-Grandpa! He and Diana enjoyed exploring the West Coast with their young family. Whether hiking through the redwoods or strolling along a beach shore, Jerry and Diana taught their children to be good stewards of God’s earth.

As their children grew, Jerry and Diana regularly gathered their family for five-day reunions filled with great food, fun and games, laughter, and unforgettable memories of being together. Their last reunion was in August 2021, with all 40 family members staying under the same roof at Bear Lake in Utah.

Jerry treasured his membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Throughout his life, Jerry tirelessly served others in whatever capacity was needed. He believed serving others was the best way to show his love for his Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ. His stalwart example provided a sure foundation of faith to both family and friends.

One of Jerry’s favorite hobbies was gathering family history. He loved researching information about his pioneer heritage during the United States’ Western Expansion. He wrote seven histories featuring ancestors from the Parker and Lewis lines.

Jerry and Diana were best friends and immensely enjoyed their intellectual companionship. They spent nearly every evening together and preferred learning about music, science, and travel. They often read biographies and fiction. With a shared love of the arts, they traveled through Europe several times. One of their favorite trips was to Italy in 2010, when even lost luggage couldn't dampen their enthusiasm for achieving this lifelong dream. Their last trip together was in August 2016, when they explored Alaska by land and sea for two weeks.

While Jerry struggled with several significant health challenges, he preferred to remain cheerful, ready to serve others with a smile when he could. His family will miss his twinkling blue eyes, big smile, warm hugs, infectious laughter, and pats on the knees. As one grandchild remembers, "Papa was an intelligent and calm man. He was kind and soft-spoken, always giving us treats and smiles."

Diana Frye Parker is Jerry’s surviving spouse. He has six surviving children and their spouses, Elizabeth (Bruce) Bevan, James (Valorie) Parker, Kristine (David) Richman, Rebeka (Bradley) Parker-LaTour, Sarah (David Zweifler) Parker, and Adam Parker. Jerry has sixteen grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Brent Lee Parker is his surviving younger brother.

While his family will always miss his presence, Jerry's memory will live on with every bowl of ice cream they eat!

In place of flowers, the family requests that friends donate to the Oregon Zoo on Jerry's behalf. The zoo was one of their favorite places to walk!

A memorial service will be held Saturday, 6 January 2024, at 10 a.m., at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 5175 SW 209th Ave., Hillsboro, Oregon 97007.

The family invites all who cannot travel to join us in celebrating Jerry Parker’s life by clicking on the "Virtual Link to the Service" below.