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Charles Joel Parker, Jr. passed away at home in Wimberley, TX on Wednesday, July 13, 2016.
Joel was born in Columbia, SC on June 19, 1945 to Charles Joel Parker and Sarah Lane Parker. After the end of WW II, the young family moved back to Houston, TX. Growing up in Houston, Joel attended The Kinkaid School, Poe Elementary, Lanier Jr. High School and he graduated from Lamar Sr. High School in 1963. During those years, he and the rest of the family enjoyed the outdoors, including spending many summers at the family's farm and bay house at Red Bluff. Those experiences included fishing, farming activities, horseback riding and hunting, all of which were the basis of his life-long love of animals and the outdoors. He was a consummate outdoorsman. He was an Eagle Scout in Troop 11 at The First Presbyterian Church, a member of the Order of the Arrow and the Troop's Senior Patrol Leader. After Troop 11, he joined Explorer Scout Post 29 at the South Main Baptist Church.
After graduating from Lamar, he attended Stephen F. Austin University and then served in the Texas Air National Guard, originally based at Ellington Field. Joel was highly principled, a total professional and one of the best salesmen ever, attributes he learned in his early years and honed in his professional career. He moved to and bought a house in Wimberley, TX in 1987. In 2002, he started his own company, Wimberley Unique Concept, a very successful firm, representing several different Employee Leasing companies. Joel never met a person he did not like. He loved his work, his clients and his family.
Joel was pre-deceased by his parents and he is survived by his loving wife, Deborah Ann Parker, his two sons, Rivers Lane Parker and Travis Kennerly Parker. Also surviving him is his sister, Katharine Lane Parker, his brother and wife, Richard Boyd Parker and Maude Lenoir Carter, his niece, Audrey Parker French and husband, Jason Robert French, their two sons, Christopher Jason French and Jack Rowan French, and his nephew, Richard Randolph Parker.
A Celebration of Life Ceremony will be held at a private setting in The Hill Country.
For those who wish to make Memorial Donations, please make them either to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Dept. or to the charity of your choice.
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James R. Frazee #178
Joel lived in the big White House on Mound St. with several senior brothers when I had the pleasure of "learning at his knee" about the outdoors, hunting, Blue Hole, not to mention all the impromptu parties Joel created on many an occasion- too many occasions! Mike Scoggin and I lived in a converted garage behind the White House and enjoyed Joel's substativ oratories on the finer points of college life. When I killed a coral snake hunting one evening in the piney woods Joel offered to skin it and make me a beautiful hat band for my Stetson. I had that hat and band up until just a few years ago. Joel will always be remembered for his love of his brothers and the outdoors.