[Peacectr_list] Richard Parker's obituary--newsletter excerpt?

Fri Apr 11 16:07:04 UTC 2008

Hi Christina,
I don't know if you knew Richard Parker.  I didn't, but I appreciated 
his Acorn newsletter and was impressed with the life I learned from 
in the obituary his wife, Beedy sent along.   He is John and Katie 
Greenman's brother-in-law.  Do you think printing the first paragraph 
of the obituary in the newsletter would be fitting or would it be out 
of place?  I'm reprinting the whole obituary for your information. 
Let me know what you think.  Ilze

Richard B Parker   (excerpt from Obituary)

"Long before the term "global warming" became commonplace, Richard (Dick)
Burbank Parker dedicated himself to moderating modern technology's impact
upon the Earth he so dearly loved. A keen understanding of the cycling of
systems, natural and manmade, deeply inspired his life's work. Whether
analyzing data for the dam removal that would allow the yearly fish run to
replenish the land with nutrients from the ocean, recording daily
temperature and rainfall in order to understand annual variations, teaching
how to enrich soil through the art of composting, observing how the nut
gathering of squirrels enables the planting of mighty oaks, or careful
accounting for his personal energy use and carbon emissions, his actions
were always tempered by sharp observation and a complex understanding of the
greater reaches of cause and effect. He led not only through meticulous
professionalism as economist, teacher, and environmentalist, but also by the
consistent, quiet example of his daily choices...... After spending much of his
life working to reduce pollution and energy consumption, he succumbed to
cancer, a common environmental illness. He died March 5, 2008, at the age of
69 at home in Camden ME. "

We shall miss his presence and hope to carry on the values and work 
he lived so richly.

Richard B Parker  Obituary

Long before the term "global warming" became commonplace, Richard (Dick)
Burbank Parker dedicated himself to moderating modern technology's impact
upon the Earth he so dearly loved. A keen understanding of the cycling of
systems, natural and manmade, deeply inspired his life's work. Whether
analyzing data for the dam removal that would allow the yearly fish run to
replenish the land with nutrients from the ocean, recording daily
temperature and rainfall in order to understand annual variations, teaching
how to enrich soil through the art of composting, observing how the nut
gathering of squirrels enables the planting of mighty oaks, or careful
accounting for his personal energy use and carbon emissions, his actions
were always tempered by sharp observation and a complex understanding of the
greater reaches of cause and effect. He led not only through meticulous
professionalism as economist, teacher, and environmentalist, but also by the
consistent, quiet example of his daily choices.

Born in 1939 in Hackensack NJ, he grew up in nearby Glen Rock. He was a ham
radio operator in high school, and studied electrical engineering at MIT as
a Sloan scholar. Realizing this path could only lead him into the heart of
the 1950s military-industrial complex, he took time out to work eight years
in radio, as chief engineer and news editor in Sanford ME, news director in
Meriden CT, and chief engineer at WCRB in Waltham MA. He returned to MIT to
get a degree in economics, and received his PhD in economics from Boston
College. As a graduate student in the late 60s, he designed and executed the
first econometric forecasting experiments with a large, state-of-the-art
computer simulation of the US economy for the Federal Reserve Bank of
Boston, thereby developing a healthy skepticism of large computer models. In
the early 70s, he taught regional economics at the University of Illinois at
Champaign-Urbana and then moved with his family to Camden during the energy
crisis of the mid-70s to embark on a venture in maritime trading on the
coast ("Toro" was moored in Camden's outer harbor during 1975-76). He taught
economics and its flaws, the omission of environmental and social
"externalities" and market failures at Colby College, University of Maine at
Augusta, and College of the Atlantic.

During the early years in Camden, Dick did energy audits for homeowners,
provided management advice and dispute resolution for small businesses, and
managed commercial property. In the late 70s, he wrote a weekly
environmental column, "Earth Notes," for the Camden Herald and was active in
the campaigns to close Maine Yankee. He collaborated on an experiment in
integrated pest management in Ben Davis Orchards with Tony Bok, and served
as treasurer for the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association,
helping to get it on sound financial footing. He was joint author of a
research monograph, "The Family Farm in the Web of Community" (1985), with
several other Maine scholars. In the 80s, he researched the history of the
Northwest Atlantic commercial fisheries for the US Department of State in
the dispute with Canada over the fisheries boundary in the Gulf of Maine.
And for three years, he taught math, and more, to young children in the
small cooperative school in his home.

 From 1984 to 1995, as technical analyst and division director at the Maine
Public Utilities Commission (MPUC), he researched utility economics and
planning practices, and testified in utility rate cases, promoting "avoided
cost" accounting for electricity generation, advocating for energy
efficiency, and helping justify Central Maine Power's withdrawal from the
Seabrook nuclear power plant, at cost savings to the state. His work during
his time at the MPUC resulted in Maine's adopting utility planning and
operation policies that served as national models for promoting energy
efficiency. He was well respected for his dedication to the public interest,
and well loved for his kindness by his colleagues.

After retiring, he consulted for a coalition of conservation organizations
working with the State of Maine to remove the Edwards Dam on the Kennebec
River. Dick's economic analysis proved critical in convincing federal
officials to order removal of the dam, the first time this ever occurred in
the United States. He also consulted with a group of New England
environmental organizations, dubbed the "Dirty Dozen" campaign, which worked
to cut pollution from the region's grandfathered power plants. With the
assistance of Dick's economic and technical analysis, the campaign was
successful in winning a 75 percent reduction in regional power plant
pollution.

After 9/11, and almost until his death, he sent out a weekly e-newsletter,
"The Acorn," a two-page edited digest of choice political and environmental
news articles documenting essential problems of the Middle East conflict and
compelling energy and ecological issues of our time.

Dick enjoyed books, the Bay Chamber Concerts, his grandchildren, reading
aloud, making pancakes, walking, camping, and watching squirrels. He cared
for and counseled his family, and was a patient and courteous teacher,
mediator, and mentor to friends and co-workers. After spending much of his
life working to reduce pollution and energy consumption, he succumbed to
cancer, a common environmental illness. He died March 5, 2008, at the age of
69 at home in Camden ME. He is survived and greatly missed by his wife,
Beedy Parker, of Camden; sister, Eleanor Russell, of Deer Isle ME; son,
Marsten Parker, and wife, Lori, of Reading MA; daughters Jennifer Tingle and
husband, Ed Cunningham, of Portland ME, Daaby Tingle and husband, Glen
Mittelhauser, of Gouldsboro ME, Nell Parker and husband, Jeremy Hart, of
Portland OR; nephew, John Russell, and wife, Kay, of Verona ME; and
grandchildren Kristin Parker, Julia Parker, Celeste Mittelhauser, Pepin
Mittelhauser, Helen Cunningham, and Will Cunningham.

A memorial celebration of Richard Parker's life is planned for early summer.
Donations can be made to the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners
Association, www.mofga.org, PO Box 170, Unity ME 04988, or the Environmental
Health Strategy Center, www.preventharm.org, PO Box 2174, Augusta ME 04438.

----- Original Message ----- From: <peacectr at gwi.net>
To: <beedyparker at gwi.net>
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:19 PM
Subject: RE: The Acorn

Dear Beedy,
I was so sorry to hear of Richard's passing from Katie and John.  I didn't
know Richard, but I valued the wonderful selections he shared in the Acorn.
They were among the most wise and articulate and were nourishment for peace
& justice work.  I will miss the Acorn and look forward to receiving an
obituary in order to honor Richard's life more fully.  Sending you
condolences at this time of such a great loss to you and to our community.

Ilze

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Beedy Parker beedyparker at gwi.net
Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:02:35 -0400
To: beedyparker at gwi.net
Subject: The Acorn

Dear Acorn Subscriber,

I am very sad to tell you that Dick (Richard B.) Parker died March 5, 2008,
(of metastasized prostate cancer), and so the Acorn will not be going out
any more. I will miss it very much and him much more. We are composing an
obituary which I can send to you if you like. Thank you for your past
interest.

Sincerely,

Beedy Parker

-- 
The Peace & Justice Center of Eastern Maine
170 Park Street
Bangor ME 04401
(207) 942-9343
fax 992-2288
email: info at peacectr.org
check our website:  <http://www.peacectr.org/>www.peacectr.org