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PARKER, |
Bill was born August 6, 1938 in Greensboro, NC to Sennett Kaup and Ruth Adele (Smith) Parker. Bill first served in the Air Force and then the US State Department. He worked in Uruguay, the USSR, Germany, South Africa, Somalia, the Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Malawi, India, Costa Rica, Turkey, and Washington DC. In 1994, Bill and his wife Dee moved to Ocala. He spoke seven languages and taught himself electrical engineering. Bill had an unquenchable curiosity about almost everything.
Bill became a liaison between ham radio clubs and the Sheriff's office, and was recognized with a Distinguished Service Award for his ten-year volunteer contributions to the (MERT) Marion County Emergency Radio Communications Team. Bill grew MERT into an integral part of emergency preparedness in central Florida. He wrote the first operations manual and guided drill practices. Because of his planning before Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Jeanne and Alberto, local ham radio operators supplied needed services until normal communications could be restored. Bill loved being among these talented and devoted men and women. He was a life-long member of AARL (Amateur Extra License). As a final act of service, Bill's body will be donated to science to help find a cure for Alzheimer's.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Robert Carraway Parker. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Dolores (Montoya); and two daughters: Karen (Peter) Gamble of Raleigh, NC, and Judith Adele Parker of Portland, Oregon; two grandchildren: Rebecca Kileen Gamble and John Parker Gamble, as well as brother James R. Parker (Charlene) of Springfield, Virginia.
The family extends grateful thanks to the staff at Superior Residences at Cala Hills and Hospice of Marion County for their care and support during Bill's final journey.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Hospice of Marion County, 3231 SW 34th Ave, Ocala, FL 34474 or online at
www.hospiceofmarion.com
/donations.html
Arrangements are under the care of Countryside Funeral Home (352) 620-2006.