Frederick Eugene Parker III

In Loving Memory
Col (Ret.) Frederick Eugene Parker III died at Fairfax Inova Hospital on October 24, 2025. He was born in Providence, R.I. on March 30, 1939, the son of Frederick Eugene Jr. and Margaret Frances McSoley. On June 2, 1962, he was married in Cranston to Mary Gladyes Connell.
He was a graduate of LaSalle Academy in Providence, RI, Northeastern University in Boston, MA, Texas A&M University, the Command and General Staff College. He also attended George Washington University for doctoral studies in Environmental Engineering. He entered U. S. Army as a Distinguished Military Graduate from Northeastern University. He served for 27 years and was a veteran of Vietnam War. After Ranger and Airborne Schools, he was a platoon leader, battalion maintenance officer, and company commander in the 19th Engineer Bn. He was the Assistant Operations Officer in the I Corps Group Engineer Section in Korea. After this assignment he attended graduate school and additional military schools he when to Vietnam as the Plans and Service Officer for the Facility Engineer in Saigon. He was there during the Tet Offensive. He returned from Vietnam to the 75th Engineer Bn., Fort Meade MD, where he was the operations officer and then Executive Officer of the Battalion. He returned to Vietnam as the Chief of Facilities Operation for the US Army Vietnam and then was the Executive Officer of the 26th Engineer Bn., 23rd Infantry Division. Upon return from Vietnam, he was the Military Assistant Resident Engineer on the Kaw Dam in Ponca City, OK. He then was the Chief of Facilities for the US Army Intelligence and Security Command. The next assignment was as the Assistant Corps Engineer for 7th Corps in Stuttgart, Germany. He was the Division 86 transition officer for the first half of his Pentagon Assignment, followed by working for the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army as the head of Functional Area Assessments. He finished his career as the Director of Combat Developments at the Army Engineer School. During his career he received the Legion of Merit with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Soldier's Medal, Bronze Star with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Army Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Ranger Tab, Parachute Badge and the Army Staff Badge. Upon retirement in 1988, he returned to Civil Engineering.
He was a Professional Engineer in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. From 1988 to 2009 he directed the design of a multitude of projects to include: subdivisions in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia; roads in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, California and West Virginia; landfills in Pennsylvania and Maryland; site planning of water and wastewater facilities to include Boston's MetroWest Water Supply Tunnel, Boston Deer Island Tunnel, Blue Plains Wastewater Treatment Plant, WSSC Laboratory, DC Pump Plant, Howard University Campus, site plans for buildings at the University of Maryland, Morgan State University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, University of Maryland Medical Center, Georgetown University Law School, Georgetown University, Howard University, Southeast Federal Center; flood plain/hydraulic studies in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Virginia; site plans for Ronald Regan Building, Wilson Building, MCI Center (now Capital One Arena, Gallery Place, PEPCO Headquarters, and numerous other buildings in the District of Columbia and suburban Maryland; New York Avenue METRO Station and the Largo METRO Extension, bridges in West Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.
He finished his second career as Project/Construction Manager for school rehabilitation and construction, District of Columbia Public Schools including establishing basic design, specification, and costing standards. He volunteered as a soccer coach, scout merit badge counselor, and on the Virginia Run HOA as a member and chair of the Assets Management Committee for over 30 years. He was a Son of the American Revolution.
He was a member of St. Mary of Sorrows parish in Fairfax and was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 8600 and was a charter member of the Father Casey Assembly 3596. He also was a member and Past President, Financial Secretary, Chair of Standing Committee of the Father Corby Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, and his son Sean. He is survived by his daughter Karen Parker of Long, SC, his son's wife Anna Colleen of Falls Church, VA, and he was blessed with five grandchildren Angus Buchanan, Cullen Buchanan, Peter Parker, Katherine Parker, and Harrison Parker. He was the brother of late Eunice Ogilvie, Margaret Ciolfi, and the late Edward Parker.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated March 6, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in St. Mary of Sorrow Roman Catholic Church in Fairfax, Burial will be in Saint Mary of Sorrows Cemetery in Fairfax, VA after Mass.