Necrology

John Lawrence Parker '52

Jan. 19, 1930-Feb. 24, 2025

John Lawrence Parker ’52, P’74,’87 died in Pittsford, N.Y., on Feb. 24, 2025. Born on Jan. 19, 1930, and raised in Lockport, N.Y., he attended two local high schools before coming to Hamilton from Culver Military Academy in Indiana. He arrived with a passion for photography, one that informed many of his activities on the Hill to the extent that his entry in the 1953 edition of The Hamiltonian began, “Hamilton’s Margaret Bourke White…” In the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and majoring in economics and history, John was in the Camera Club all four years and was the photography editor for the yearbook as a senior. In his sophomore and junior years, he was also on the swim team.

In the fall of 1952, he married Joan C. Patterson. At that time, the North Village, constructed to house married returning veterans of World War II, still existed, and John and Joan moved in. In what must have been comparatively cramped quarters, John constructed a dark room to develop his photographs. Attending his graduation the following June were not only Joan, but also their son Harry, then 1 month old. Twenty-two years later, the three Parkers attended another Hamilton commencement, this time with Harry L. Parker II ’74 as the graduate. In addition to Harry, the Parkers had two daughters, including Janet Parker MacKey ’87, and two more sons.

From Hamilton, John proceeded to the Rochester Institute of Technology where, in 1954, he earned an associate of applied science degree in color and commercial photography. The following year, he became assistant director of research for the Cornelius Printing Co. in Indianapolis where he helped establish a short-run color lithography operation, meaning that each project yielded no more than 1,000 copies of an image. He returned to Rochester in 1956 to start his own company, General Color Printing, Inc., which also did short-run lithography. He also was a member, secretary, and president of the Rochester Litho Club.

In 1974, John sold his business and became a residential real estate broker working for a small Rochester realtor. When that firm closed in 1989, John opened his own one-man operation, John L. Parker Realtors. That he had already developed a client base enabled him to work on his own schedule and, by 1992, to describe himself as “semi-retired.” Thereafter, he continued to provide services to friends who were in the process of either buying or selling their homes.

In 1987, Joan Parker died of cancer. Shortly thereafter, John married Phyllis Hoffman, blending his five children with her five. Their marriage ended in 1993. On Aug. 20, 1994, John married Nancy V. Brush in the presence of his five and her three children. He had gotten to know her when she responded to a personal advertisement he had placed in Rochester’s daily newspaper, The Democrat and Chronicle. Their marriage lasted until his death.

Setting his own schedule enabled John to devote more time to his passion for sailing. Owner of a succession of 35’ sloops, as early as 1981 he reported sailing on Lake Ontario and in the Thousand Islands region of the upper Saint Lawrence River, and on another occasion sailed as far as Montreal. Later cruises would cover not only Lake Ontario, but also Lakes Erie, Huron (including Georgian Bay), and the northern shore of Lake Superior. Further evidence of his enthusiasm was his membership for more than 60 years in the Rochester Yacht Club. In 2002, John sold the last of his sailboats but by arrangement with the new owners was able to continue to use it while they were away.

As much as he was a sailor, John was also a traveler, and a global one at that. His many contributions to the Alumni Review over the years cumulatively mentioned no fewer than 15 European and Asian countries that he visited. He also covered much of the southeastern and western United States.

John was active in Rochester’s business community. In addition to his leadership of the Litho Club, he was on the Small Business Association as well as of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce, the Rochester Advertisers, and the Real Estate Board of Rochester. A longtime congregant of the First Unitarian Church of Rochester, he served for a time as its president.

Looking back in his 50th reunion yearbook, John’s memories of the College included: “John Baldwin leading the choir and playing the organ in the Chapel. Berrian Shute’s music seminars at his house with wine, a wheel of cheese, and music. Nesbitt and Barrett trying to teach me to write. ‘Swampy’ Marsh encouraging my public speaking, knees shaking, and then developing confidence. Paul Parker and the word ‘ubiquitous’ in art history class.”

A decade earlier, in his 40th reunion yearbook, he observed, “after meeting and working with people from other colleges, my education was as fine as any, and one of the most demanding.”

John supported the College in several ways. For many years, he was a highly successful free agent for the Class of 1953, raising money to support the Hamilton Fund. He contributed funds for the renovation of the chemistry building as well as to the Eugene Tobin Scholarship, awarded to students having an interest in and aptitude for the study of history, as well as demonstrating leadership and problem-solving abilities.

John L. Parker is survived by his wife, five children, including Harry L. Parker II ’74 and Janet Parker Mackey ’87, nine grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

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