October 6, 2009     

WATERTOWN, N.Y.  —  Thomas L. Parker, 81, formerly of Watertown, died Oct. 3, in Asheville, N.C. 

There will be no calling hours. A memorial Mass will be held 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church with Rev. Richard Kennedy officiating. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. 

Contributions may be made to St. Williams Church Food Bank, 765 Andrews Road, Murphy, NC 28906. 

Arrangements are with D.L. Calarco Funeral Home, Inc., Watertown.

Mr. Parker was born October 4, 1927, in Salisbury, N.C., a son of James W. and Elizabeth B. Cuthrell Parker. In 1949, he graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Architecture degree. 

Mr. Parker owned and operated Parker-Soper Architects in Watertown for many years. He was responsible for the design of major architectural projects including schools, colleges, industrial buildings, hospitals, nursing homes, houses and restaurants in several states. 

Mr. Parker served as a member of the Board of Directors for the Watertown Chamber of Commerce and as Chairman of the Board of the Northern New York Heart Association. He was elected to the board of directors of Watertown Savings Bank on July 13, 1972, and became trustee emeriti on October 4, 2002. 

After his retirement he and his wife Elaine moved to Murphy, N.C., where they have lived since 2003.

Among his survivors are his wife Elaine, two sons and their wives Thomas and Wanda Parker II of Pine Grove, CA, David and Danñe Parker of Clifton Park, NY, three daughters and their husbands Karen and David O’Keefe of Bloomington, NY, Lynn and James Fort of Germantown, Md., Ann and Mark Schroepfer of Rochester, NY; a step son and his wife, Greg and Shannon Genter of Grosse Ile, MI; a step daughter and her husband Kristen and Salah Khlifi of Martinez, Gd.; 16 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.







Information provided by D.L. Calarco Funeral Home and Newzjunky, Watertown, N.Y.