Veteran of the Vietnam War
Published in the February 22, 2018 edition
WITCHITA, Kan. — John “Scotty” Parker, 69, passed away Saturday, February 17, 2018 at Via Christi Select Specialty Hospital in Wichita. He was born April 4, 1948 in Melrose, Massachusetts to John Phillips and Evelyn Woode (Stark) Parker. On July 22, 1978 he married Linda Sue (Bryan) Parker in Fort Riley, Kansas.
He graduated from North Reading High School in 1966. He was a Free Mason. After high school he joined the United States Army where he had training as an Airborne Ranger, Special Forces and was a Field Medic. In 1967, he volunteered for the Vietnam war and had two tours and earned a Silver Star, three Bronze Stars, Vietnam Award for Valor, two Purple Hearts and was a prisoner of war for a short period of time. Upon his return from the war he served three years as a Drill Sergeant preparing the soldiers for war. Scotty was a member of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pratt, Kan., past member of Pratt Rotary Club and was previously on the Chamber of Commerce in Wausau, Wisconsin.
He is survived by his wife, Linda, of Pratt; father, John Parker of Manchester, New Hampshire; daughter, Deborah Reene Parker and fiancé, Bret Levandowski of Puyallup, Washington; son, Corbin Phillips Parker of Pratt; sisters, Anita Skye Taylor of St. Augustine, Florida and Sally Kathleen Parker-Yap of Derry, New Hampshire; and grandchildren, Joshua Shuler and Arianna Shuler of Washington and Beau Phillips Parker of Pratt.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Evelyn Parker.
Cremation has taken place. Memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, February 24, at All Saints Episcopal Church, 218 N. Main, Pratt. He will be laid to rest with a military salute in the family cemetery in Lincoln, Kansas at a later date. Memorials may be made to All Saints Episcopal Church or South Wind Thrift Store in care of Larrison Mortuary.
