John Parker
2018-01-04
John W. Parker, a longtime educator and former professional basketball official, died on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018. He was 82. He was born on July 27, 1935, to the late Albert P. Parker and Mary J. Parker in Norristown. He was the second of five children.
After graduating from Norristown High School in 1953, Parker earned a teaching degree at Millersville State Teachers College in Lancaster, while also leading the men’s basketball team to the 1957 NAIA Division I Basketball Tournament and becoming the school’s first All-American. He was the first basketball player to have his jersey officially retired by the university, and he was inducted into Millersville’s first Athletic Hall of Fame class in 1995.
While at Millersville, he met Julia Means, his future wife of 57 years. They were married in 1960 and two children were born to their union.
Following his graduation from Millersville in 1957, Parker joined the Upper Dublin School District to start what would become a 42-year career with the district. Initially an industrial arts teacher, Parker obtained his master’s degree in education from Temple University and became an administrator, serving as the principal at Sandy Run Junior High School (where his daughter is now the principal) and Three Tuns Junior High School, before ultimately retiring as the director of facilities and planning for the district in 1999.
In addition to raising his family and pursuing his career as an educator, Parker also continued to pursue his other passion — basketball. After playing for seven years in the Eastern Basketball League, he took up officiating and rose quickly through the ranks. In 1969 he became one of the first African-American referees to join the NBA, and his first game in the league was also the professional debut of Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), a nationally televised game on ABC’s Wide World of Sports.
After his time in the NBA, Parker continued to referee for more than 30 years, working thousands of games at the collegiate, high school and recreation levels, ranging from the Baker League and Sonny Hill League to the Norristown Police Athletic League games for elementary school kids.
He was preceded in death by his sisters, Elizabeth and Mary Jane, and stepbrother, John Walker.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by: his children, Jill Parker Clark and Albert P. Parker II; son-in-law, John A. Clark Sr.; daughter-in-law, Melissa R. Parker; grandchildren, Jiana M. Clark, John W. Parker II, Avery J. Parker, John A. “Jack” Clark Jr. and Peyton A. Parker; brother, Robert M. Parker; and other relatives and friends.
Services will be held Saturday at St. Patrick’s Church, 714 Dekalb St., Norristown. Friends may call at 9 a.m. Services will follow at 10 a.m.
Beckett, Brown and Hodges Funeral Home handled the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in memory of John W. Parker to either of the following organizations:
Upper Dublin Education Foundation/John W. Parker Sandy Run Principal’s Award, 1580 Fort Washington Ave., Maple Glen, PA 19002, (215) 576-3280.
Philadelphia Youth Basketball, 1735 Market St., 49th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, (215) 864-8274 or www.phillyyouthbasketball.org.
After graduating from Norristown High School in 1953, Parker earned a teaching degree at Millersville State Teachers College in Lancaster, while also leading the men’s basketball team to the 1957 NAIA Division I Basketball Tournament and becoming the school’s first All-American. He was the first basketball player to have his jersey officially retired by the university, and he was inducted into Millersville’s first Athletic Hall of Fame class in 1995.
While at Millersville, he met Julia Means, his future wife of 57 years. They were married in 1960 and two children were born to their union.
Following his graduation from Millersville in 1957, Parker joined the Upper Dublin School District to start what would become a 42-year career with the district. Initially an industrial arts teacher, Parker obtained his master’s degree in education from Temple University and became an administrator, serving as the principal at Sandy Run Junior High School (where his daughter is now the principal) and Three Tuns Junior High School, before ultimately retiring as the director of facilities and planning for the district in 1999.
In addition to raising his family and pursuing his career as an educator, Parker also continued to pursue his other passion — basketball. After playing for seven years in the Eastern Basketball League, he took up officiating and rose quickly through the ranks. In 1969 he became one of the first African-American referees to join the NBA, and his first game in the league was also the professional debut of Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), a nationally televised game on ABC’s Wide World of Sports.
After his time in the NBA, Parker continued to referee for more than 30 years, working thousands of games at the collegiate, high school and recreation levels, ranging from the Baker League and Sonny Hill League to the Norristown Police Athletic League games for elementary school kids.
He was preceded in death by his sisters, Elizabeth and Mary Jane, and stepbrother, John Walker.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by: his children, Jill Parker Clark and Albert P. Parker II; son-in-law, John A. Clark Sr.; daughter-in-law, Melissa R. Parker; grandchildren, Jiana M. Clark, John W. Parker II, Avery J. Parker, John A. “Jack” Clark Jr. and Peyton A. Parker; brother, Robert M. Parker; and other relatives and friends.
Services will be held Saturday at St. Patrick’s Church, 714 Dekalb St., Norristown. Friends may call at 9 a.m. Services will follow at 10 a.m.
Beckett, Brown and Hodges Funeral Home handled the arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in memory of John W. Parker to either of the following organizations:
Upper Dublin Education Foundation/John W. Parker Sandy Run Principal’s Award, 1580 Fort Washington Ave., Maple Glen, PA 19002, (215) 576-3280.
Philadelphia Youth Basketball, 1735 Market St., 49th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103, (215) 864-8274 or www.phillyyouthbasketball.org.