Stephen Parker Obituary

Professor Stephen J. Parker, born August 5, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York, died on March 14, 2016 of complication from Alzheimer's with his family around him. He spent 44 of his years as a professor of Russian literature at the University of Kansas, 13 of those as Chairman of the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures. He became one of the world's preeminent experts on Vladimir Nabokov, under whom he studied during his years at Cornell, where he received his BA and PhD. During his years at KU, he served as a mentor to numerous students and as a leader in the academic community. Spending so much of his life in Kansas, he became an avid hunter and fisherman and an ardent Jayhawks basketball fan. He served as faculty mentor to the KU basketball team for a number of years and as a member of the KU Athletic Board. He was respected and loved by many who were lucky enough to get to know him professionally or personally. More than anything, he was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He is survived by and will be dearly missed by his wife Marie-Luce Parker; his daughter Sandra McGill and her husband Richard and their children Emily and Annie of Chicago IL; and his son Richard Parker and his wife Kristin and their children Benjamin, William and Lily of Glencoe, IL. There will be a celebration of his life for family and friends at a later date. Contributions may be made in his name to the Alzheimer's Association or the KU Endowment Association and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary.

Online condolences may be sent to www.warrenmcelwain.com.