VIVIAN PARKER

VIVIAN BARFIELD PARKER  
Born in Brooklyn, New York on November 17, 1930 and passed away on February 1, 2020. Vivian Barfield Parker received her BA from Brooklyn College and her doctorate in Chemistry from Penn State. She worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, (formerly the National Bureau of Standards) for more than 30 years, where she did important work evaluating thermodynamic data. She was an important scientific pioneer during a time when few women were allowed to study or practice science. In her retirement she was an accomplished painter and could be seen most Fridays as a copyist in the National Gallery of Art. Vivian is survived by her loving husband, Robert L. Parker; her children, Susan and David, and three grandchildren, Anna, Laura and Robert as well as her son-in-law, Cesar Martinelli and her daughter-in- law Annie Gladman; nieces and nephews Liz, Bonnie, Michael, Stephan and Stephanie. Donations in her name may be made to the National Gallery of Art. Visitation was be held from 2 to 5 p.m., followed by an informal memorial service at 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 6 at Joseph Gawler's Sons, 5130 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC.