Joseph James Parker Jr.

1933 - 2023

Joseph James Parker Jr. Jim Parker always said he would live forever, or die trying. Jim passed away peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday, Dec 13, 2023. He was 90 years old.

Jim grew up in Telluride, where his father was the town doctor and his mother was the nurse. He learned about medicine early on from his father, watching him work in his office and occasionally assisting with the ether anesthesia on simple cases. His dad was a bit of a prankster, which is a trait that Jim definitely inherited. Growing up in a mining town had its advantages. Jim told a story of using dynamite from one of the mines to blow a bigger hole in the town pond to make a diving area.

The family moved to Grand Junction when Jim was 14 because his mother felt the children would get a better education here. He attended Grand Junction High School where the girls were warned by their moms to avoid him as he was "from a mining town". He went on to obtain a bachelor's degree at CU Boulder and then his Medical Degree from CU Denver Medical School. He initially planned to become a pediatrician and completed his internship at Mary Hitchcock Hospital at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. He and Vicki then returned to Denver to continue his residency at Children's Hospital. Finally, they returned to Grand Junction where he partnered with his dad in family practice. Jim felt that not doing so would be a missed opportunity to learn from such an excellent physician. He joked that he treated the walking wounded and almost ill, but was known for being an excellent doctor and was loved by his patients and staff. He worked hard, being in solo practice after his dad retired. He estimated that he delivered around 2,000 babies. He loved caring for pregnant women and kids. His staff knew that if he couldn't be found, he was probably in the waiting room playing with his pediatric patients.

While in medical school, he met a nursing student named Vicki Ferree through mutual friends. They dated for a brief period of time and got married after they both graduated that spring. They were married for 54 years until Vicki passed away in 2015. Aside from a two year stint in the army serving as a base doctor in Fort Reilly, Kansas, Jim and Vicki spent the remainder of their lives together in Grand Junction raising their family.

Jim and Vicki enjoyed traveling, and would drop everything to spend time with grandkids. They especially enjoyed spending time at the family cabin near Telluride. They were members of Roadrunners, a group of friends in Grand Junction that started out planning day trips when everyone's kids were small, advancing to bigger and bigger trips, culminating in trips to the Panama Canal and Alaska after retirement. They traveled all over the US and also went to Europe, New Zealand, Belize, Mexico, Canada and Costa Rica.

Jim was known for his kindness, wisdom, generosity, and sense of humor. He was a friend to all. Always welcoming with a smile on his face, he saw the positive in everyone and every situation. Jim and Vicki loved working and playing outdoors together. He loved to read and listen to music.

Jim is survived by his children, Kevin (Vicky), Karen Hatfield (Joe) and Kristen (Jason) Stanfield, and grandchildren Shelby (Christian) Parker Hamlin, Abby and Bailey Parker; Ryan and Mia Hatfield; and Parker, Jake and Alexa Stanfield. He is also survived by his brother Tim and sister Stephanie Barnett. He is preceded in death by his wife Vicki and brother Johnnie.

A celebration of Jim's life will be held at Bookcliff Country Club on January 14, 2024 at 2:00. Please bring your favorite Jim stories to share.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research or Colorado Public Radio.