Dr. Robert L. Parker

1929 - 2024

Dr. Robert L. Parker, of Washington, DC died peacefully in his sleep on Sunday, April 21, 2024 at the age of 94, following a brief illness. Born on July 4, 1929 in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and raised primarily in Des Moines and Pocahontas, Iowa. Dr. Parker received his bachelor's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1951 and his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Maryland in 1960. Dr. Parker served domestically in the United States Armed Forces during the Korean War conflict and worked in the field of metallurgy at the Department of Commerce's National Bureau of Standards (later to become the National Institute of Science and Technology) from 1960 until his retirement in 1987.

In his retirement Dr. Parker remained an avid hiker and farmer, often hiking with the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club and farming corn and soybeans at a small farm in Maryland on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. He enjoyed numerous vacations with his family and also greatly enjoyed meals and intellectual discussions with his extended family. His wife of 56 years, Vivian B. Parker, preceded him in death in 2020 and he is survived by a substantial extended family, including his daughter, Susan W. Parker, of Washington, DC; his son David Parker, of Oak Ridge, TN; two grand-daughters Anna and Laura Martinelli-Parker, one grandson Robert Marcher; and a son-in-law Cesar Martinelli and daughter-in-law Anne Gladman.

Dr. Parker will be fondly remembered and missed by family and friends alike. Visitation was held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with an informal memorial service at 12 noon on Sunday, April 28 at Joseph Gawler's Sons, 5130 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. Donations in Dr. Parker's name may be made to the American Physical Society.