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Howard H. Parker, Lewes activist

May 1, 2011

Howard H. Parker, 92, of Lewes, passed away Wednesday, April 27, 2011, inLewes.  Howard was born in Kalamazoo, Mich., June 3, 1918, the son of J. Bruce and Mabel (Klose) Parker.

Howard graduated from the University of Michigan in 1940 with a degree in chemical engineering.  After college, he began a career with the Hercules Powder Company that spanned 43-and-a-half years.  During World War II, Howard was a shift supervisor at the Sunflower Ordinance Plant in Lawrence Kan., operated by Hercules for the Department of Defense.  After the war, at the Kalamazoo office of Hercules, Howard rose to the position of district manager of the office.  In 1962, Howard and his family moved to the home office and headquarters of the now Hercules Inc. in Wilmington.   Howard was in the Pine and Paper Chemicals Division.  During the final years before retirement in 1983, Howard was a college recruiter for the division.

In 1983 Howard and Alice moved to Lewes.  He was active with the Lewes Homeowners Association even before their permanent move to Lewes; he served three terms on the Lewes Board of Adjustment and was a SCORE counselor for many years.

Howard and his wife Alice were one of the first residents of Cadbury in Lewes.  Always one to stay active, Howard joined the Cadbury Foundation as well as the program committee.

Throughout his years in Lewes, Howard was an active member and parishioner at Lewes Presbyterian Church and he headed the committee for the remodel/addition to the church.

Howard is survived by his wife of almost 63 years Alice; his three children: Stephen and wife Ruth Ann, Susan and husband Donald and Michael and wife Gisele; his grandchildren Cindy and husband Brian, Jennifer, Henry, Curtis and Conor; his great-grandchildren: Christopher, Jessica, Hallee, Maggie, Michael Jr., Ronald III, Megan, Aubrey, and Emily; two nieces Carol Povich and Kathy Honea; and his beloved cat Pete.

Memorial Services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, May 6, at Lewes Presbyterian Church, 133 Kings Highway, Lewes.  Interment will be private in the adjoining churchyard.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Lewes After School Program, C/O the Lewes Presbyterian Church, 133 Kings Highway, Lewes, DE 19958 or Habitat for Humanity, P.O. Box 759, 206 Academy St., Georgetown, DE 19947.

 

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