- Date Of Birth: August 5, 1953
- Date Of Death: February 11, 2023
- State: Mississippi
Roger Barton Parker passed away on February 11, 2023, at Singing River Hospital surrounded by his family.
Born on August 5, 1953, in Pascagoula, Miss, he was raised on New Orleans’ West Bank. He returned to Pascagoula his senior year of high school and was a pitcher for the Pascagoula High School baseball team.
Roger soon met his soulmate and love of his life, Kathleen George, and they attended Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston where Roger was a pitcher for the Bulldogs. During his two years at Perk, the Bulldogs twice won the state junior college baseball title. Roger was selected by the American Association of College Baseball Coaches for the District All Star Team and received the All-American Team District Award during the 1973 season. Roger was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals but chose to remain with Coach Ken “Curley” Farris at MGCCC.
Roger and Kathleen were married May 25, 1973, by Father Louis Lohan at Our Lady of Victories Catholic Church in Pascagoula. They lived in the married dorm at Perk during their second year of college.
After earning his associate degree, Roger transferred to Louisiana Tech University where he pitched for the Bulldogs. He returned to Pascagoula and worked at Ingalls Shipbuilding for 33 years, finishing his career as a production control supervisor.
A convert to Catholicism, Roger was dedicated to Jesus and His Blessed Mother, praying the Rosary and the Liturgy of the Hours daily. He was constantly reading and learning about his Catholic faith; the last book he started was about the life of Padre Pio.
He was a man of Manresa, making several silent retreats in Convent, Louisiana.
Roger experienced Cursillo #100 at the Dedeaux Hilton, and the Cursillo Movement changed his life. Thanks to the Parable of the Talents, he was inspired to pick up the guitar and find his singing voice. For countless Cursillo weekends, he provided music, led weekends, and served on retreat and palanca teams.
For several years, Roger traveled by converted school bus with St. Alphonsus for mission trips to Saltillo, Mexico, and brought his guitar to provide music. He had the greatest admiration for Father Patrick Quinn.
He was a 4th degree knight with the Knights of Columbus.
Roger gave the best hugs and had the most genuine, welcoming smile. He loved drinking coffee on his back porch, having wood burning in the fireplace, floating in the Alabama and Florida Gulf waters, fishing and hunting with his father, and being with his family. He put his wife, daughters, and grandchildren first, wanting the best for them and doing all he could to provide it. He was their greatest cheerleader and advocate. He never failed to say aloud how blessed he was when, during holidays or other family events, Kathleen, his daughters and their spouses, and his grandchildren all stayed at his home under one roof.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Boon Barton Parker and Mary Katherine Parker; sister, Charlotte Parker Quick; sister, Mary Parker Morgan; sister-in-law, Joanne George Anderson (Chic), and brother-in-law, Roy Baker Sr.
He is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Kathleen George Parker; his three daughters and their spouses: Amanda Parker and her husband Andrew of Wiggins, Miss; Garnet Diamond and her husband Matt of Evans, GA; Erica Levens and her husband Andrew of Ocean Springs, Miss; grandchildren Claire Diamond, Norah Diamond, Meri Parker Diamond, Whitney Diamond, Catherine Diamond, Joseph Barton Parker, Reagan Levens; sister, Teresa Parker Jensen and her husband Bryan of Big Level, Miss; brothers and sisters-in-law, J.B. George Jr., Peggy George Baker, Dr. Eric George and his wife Monica, and Carole George Griffin and her husband Gary.
The family thanks Dr. Michael Errico for being their angel while in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at Singing River Hospital, the MICU and floor nursing teams, Dr. Suzanne Iodice, Dr. Bradley Paetz, Dr. Catherine Hirsch, Dr. Simon G. Rizk, Dr. John Montgomery, Dr. Lawrence Leake, and Dr. Randy Roth, all who took such wonderful care of Roger and his family in the week before his passing.
