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When Bob retired from teaching at Ludington Area Schools, he said he wanted to “gift” me something. I met with him and he very carefully, cautiously and with hushed tones, asked me to put out my hand. With a glorious impromptu “Bob Parker” speech, he made up a corny presentation as he placed a key into my hand and made me promise NEVER to tell. In my years of teaching at that point, I was never granted a key to get into Peterson Auditorium for all of my Elementary Musicals! Bob wanted me to have his Master Key! He made me feel like I was holding a piece of real gold! I kept track of that key and used it faithfully (and for hundreds of trips to that stage) from that day forward. I also thought of him every time that big heavy door opened. Although I have recently retired myself, I refuse to get rid of that gift-even though all the school locks have been changed. It reminds me of what a “Pay It Forward” person he was!!

Peace, Carleen Shinn

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June, 2020, I visited Zephyrhills, FL. The only people I knew there were the Parker’s. My path crossed with Bob’s many times in my teaching career. He was truly a blessing.

During COVID, in order for me to visit, they created the Covid Cafe. It was a great couple of days. In December, 2019, my first Snowbird Winter in Florida, my first stop was to visit Bob and Elaine. Over those next couple of years, I would come visit for a couple weeks during the winter. I learned a lot from them, and had a great time! Well, then there were his ukulele lessons. I never did follow a good practice regime on the uke, but admired all the time he invested in his practices. His talent was amazing.

Two thumbs up Bob.

Miss you!

Matt Bishop

Full-Time Tourist

PS: I try to drink my gallon of water every day, because you told me to do it.

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Big picture I only had the pleasure of knowing Bob for a couple of hand fulls of years so I refer to them in dog years so I have more.

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I got to know Bob at Lakeside Church, where he brought joy and talent and love to the worship team and our life together there.

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A favorite photo of these two - great partners in life and love!

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Bob put together a jazz trio to play for our guests in the parlor at the Ludington House B&B. Great fun, great musical talent!

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It was a privilege to travel Europe singing and playing my trombone with Parker! He was one of my biggest supporters from middle school to long after I graduated high school! From band, to chamber choir, to show choir, to being his TA, I looked for every chance to be in his class room and learn from him! I learned so much more than music from Parker. One thing he said that I’ve always remembered is “you won’t make the choir” long Parker pause “if you don’t audition”. Those words encouraged me to always try and not be afraid of failure. Just as I sang to him at my senior choir concert “I learned that strength is something you choose”. He always made me feel welcomed, supported and loved. I will forever be grateful for his talent, his character and his heart! I love you Parker!

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Though I am your brother-in-law, you are more of a brother to me. Thank you for all you taught me through your true heart. I thank God for blessing our time together and long for the day we will rejoice together in our Lord’s presence. Brandt

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Mr. Parker was the coolest in school, hands down. In 2005, my Freshman year, before rehearsal he showed us “this neat new website” on the huge projector screen called, YouTube. He showed us a vituoso kid our age absolutely slaying Canon in D on electric guitar. Another day was a Bass lesson from Flea. There is one that sticks out the most as a classic, funny, Parker memory though. He prefaced a video with a big ol’ speech about how music impacts emotion. He had us all keyed in, paying good attention to how a car weaved through a winding, curvy road down a grassy hillside to a gentle song until—as the car is about to reach the valley below a zombie face pops up and screams. The way he laughed after the entire band room leapt back in our seats in a wave always brings a smile to my face.

His humor is unforgettable but his kindness and willingness to give his all to everyone who was blessed to meet him is unparalleled. He helped me switch from Trumpet to Euphonium prior to my Senior year of HS band. After graduation I joined the Community Band but I had played the High Schools Euphs. He took time out of his busy schedule to help me even after I was his student and had me bring him my old Trumpet. He traded it on my behalf for a good Euph with a connection he had in Lansing. I still have that horn and now I can keep on playing.

He made me laugh, and he also gave me the gift of feeling music so deeply it gives me goosebumps. Real goosebumps, not from a jump scare video!

Thumbs up! 👍

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Mr. P had a positive impact on thousands of students during his teaching career. Some of those students went on to be professional musicians but most did not. That wasn’t the point. Bob wasn’t trying to turn out professional musicians. He was instilling a love of music in each of his students!

Bob left his mark on Ludington. This community embraces and supports live music all over the area. Thumbs up to all who will continue to pass the love of music on to future generations!!

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I credit so much of who I am as an educator to Bob Parker. He was inspiring, relational and excellent.

When I was a sophomore in high school I was Bob’s band TA for a trimester. One day, he was running rather late. The students were all (or at least mostly…they were middle schoolers) in their seats and ready to start rehearsal. I felt lead to warm them up, and in so doing I experienced such a thrill that I can only describe as, proper alignment. Being in front of a group of musicians and leading them felt like I had finally “locked in.” After ten or so minutes of working with them, I turned and saw Bob standing and watching me from the doorway. After class, he spoke both excitedly and seriously with me about pursuing a career in music education. I was glowing. He saw a glimmering of potential in me, and cared enough to nurture it. His special brand of educational magic was most evident in his ability to build genuine relationships with his students, and from that moment on he became more than a teacher to me. About seven years later I found myself working again with Bob as his TA and Student Teacher while I was finishing my BME at GVSU. Again, I saw more masterful displays of the art of teaching than I can write. I will forever be grateful to him.

While his passing casts a shadow on my heart and makes me long for a glorious reunion, I’m encouraged by his trust in God’s soverign plan, and am committed to carry on his legacy of kindness in the classroom.

“When winter makes us reminisce
Of warmer days so distant now
Of cherished saints the sun once kissed
Whose beauty passed behind the clouds
Let all our fond and longing tears
Remind us we are pilgrims here
We trust You, Sovereign of our years
With all of our tomorrows”

All of Our Tomorrows, Dave Fournier

Thumbs up, sir!

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It’s taking me a while to come up with something to share. I knew Mr. Parker in several different facets throughout my life. I first knew him, of course, as a music educator and mentor, and I credit him with introducing me to my musical abilities. In middle school at OJ DeYoung, he had a music exploratory class where we played instruments and even wrote (very embarrassing) rap songs to perform in front of everyone. That class opened up a curiosity for music that led me to joining band and playing clarinet all through my high school years. I couldn’t be more grateful to have discovered this joy for music because it opened up a social circle for me of like-minded individuals. Being friends with the band geeks changed the game for me in high school. Band made me feel welcome and accepted and introduced me to many lifelong friends.

Later I got to know Mr. Parker as a father figure. My junior year of high school I met Maddie Parker, The youngest of his three daughters. We became inseparable best friends, attached at the hip. I spent so many days at the Parker household, just spending time with them in their own home. I also got to go on family outings, like the time we kayaked the Pine River in a thunderstorm. It was so cool to be welcomed in as part of such a brilliant family. I witnessed his love for Elaine and his fierce love of his kids. When you get to know someone in their home environment, you see sides of them that no one else sees. I watched Bob and Elaine come to terms with their daughter being gay, and watched them grow So beautifully in the knowledge that God loves all his children no matter what. Watching the various growing pains of their father/daughter relationship has given me a complex yet stronger and more love filled view of Mr. Parker. It was really an honor to be included in this family.

The memory in specific that comes to mind happened after high school at the folk music festival, Wheatland. It was actually the Parker‘s that brought me to my first full weekend of experiencing this festival of love, fellowship, and an appreciation for music. This was when I got to know Mr. Parker as Bob. One year, when I was in my 20s, we ran into each other. We walked through the festival together and sat and watched the music just talking about life and palling around. But my cool kid moment happened the year that Maddie married Jacklin.

I went to visit Bob and Elaine at their camp and he was so excited to show off to me his banjo made from a can, aka Canjo. His was made from a small can of beans, with a neck and one string. He was so proud of his awesomeness and thought he was showing me something musical I’d never experienced before. Little did he know, I had received a Canjo from a festival friend the previous year. Except mine was made from a great big Hershey’s cocoa can! So I whipped out my Bass Canjo and started laying it down. I taught him that you could bend the can to make a wa-wa effect similar to a whammy bar. It was just so cool to be like, oh yeah you think that’s cool? We’ll get a load of this!! And then teach my musical mentor something he didn’t know.

My final memory of Bob was when I was staying with my boyfriend Lars who lived on the same block of St. Paul street in Ludington. Lars often mowed his neighbors lawns, and was always available to help out anyone on the block who needed it. So one day I’m at his place by myself and who should knock on our door but Bob Parker. Both of us were shocked! He was looking for Lars to get his help moving a kitchen counter into place. Finding me instead, he abandoned that idea and instead invited me over for a beer. Having met Mr. Parker as a middle school student, it was the coolest thing in the world to sit with this marvelous man and just have a couple beers together. We talked for quite a while, drinking more than we should, until things got too silly and we had to call it a night. That was the last time I saw him, and I am just so grateful to have shared that moment together.

In fact, I’m grateful for it all. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the influence of Bob Parker in my life. From the bottom of my heart, thumbs up!

-Sara Brown, LHS Class of 2009