Lewis Wentworth Parker

OLD GREENWICH, Conn. - Lewis Wentworth Parker, 62, of Old Greenwich, Conn., passed away peacefully Sunday, June 5, 2005.

Born in Auburn on Sept. 5, 1942, he was the son of the late Eric L. and Marian Parker. Mr. Parker graduated in 1964 with honors from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., with a B.S. in engineering.

He was a member of the team that won the 1962 North American Dinghy Championship. Their team also won numerous championships around the country and was recognized as the top sailing team of both New England and the U.S.

Mr. Parker had the thrill of making two transatlantic tours abroad the Eagle, visiting countries all over Europe.

Upon his graduation in 1964, he served four years of active duty, including three tours in Vietnam, then 16 years in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, achieving the rank of commander. Parker retired from the Coast Guard in 1987, after 20 years of service.

In 1970, he graduated from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania with an MBA in Finance and International Business and then joined Industrial Nucleonics Corp., later known as Accuray Corp. He entered the investment management industry in 1978 as vice president, Marketing, A.G. Becker in New York. In 1978 he became senior vice president, Marketing of Amivest Corp., also in New York.

Mr. Parker continued his career becoming senior vice president, Marketing, Rothschild Inc. in 1982 where he worked with major corporate pension funds to develop fully diversified equity investment programs. In 1986, he became managing director for Dreman Value Management of Jersey City, N.J., where he was responsible for marketing and client service for more than half of the company's assets. In 1992, Parker co-founded and was managing partner of Thorsell Parker Partners Inc., Westport, Conn., which was a small/mid-cap money management firm.

Mr. Parker was a member of the Economic Policy Committee, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The Wharton Alumni Association, and the Property and Finance Committee at First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich.

In 1993, Parker moved to Old Greenwich, Conn., where he met and married Sharon Portin on October 1994 at the Homestead in Greenwich. Known for his honesty, great insight, wit and moral character, he was always striving to make the world a better place. In 1986, as a part of his prolific writings, he wrote his Statement of Purpose: "To have felt a sense of accomplishment, achievement and self-respect. To be loved and respected by those I wish to know me."

He is survived by his wife, Sharon Portin Parker of Old Greenwich; his daughter, Molly Jones of Basalt, Colo.; his brother, Edward L. Parker of Fishersville, Va.; his niece, Debbie Baker; and his nephew, John Parker.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 13, at First Presbyterian Church of Greenwich, corner of Lafayette and West Putnam Avenue. Burial with full military honors will be held at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church Capital Campaign, in memory of Lewis Parker, 1 W. Putnam Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830; or to the Lewis Parker Memorial Fund, Alzheimer's Association of CT, 96 Oak St., Hartford, CT 06106.

Funeral arrangements are by Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home.