Scott A. Parker made his last empanada on Saturday, April 18th. Sales on Ebay may never recover and neither will those of us left behind. Scott, the miracle child, is now joined with his parents, Bobby and Teddy Parker. The man who was not a cat person leaves behind his two “boys” of the feline kind. His sister, Stacy Parker DeRaps, her partner, Clayton Walker of Tampa, FL were with him. Two nieces, Breanne DeRaps/husband Josh Miner of PA; Meagan DeRaps/husband Erik Bachmann of Alaska. His nephew, Derek DeRaps/partner Jacqui Young of TN, and his grandnieces Etta and Parker Miner and Talia Bachmann. Grandnephew Wes Miner. A brother, Marc Parker of Apollo Beach. And, a large “Zonian” family of brothers and sisters.
Born in the United States, he was raised on the Atlantic side of the former Canal Zone on the Isthmus of Panama. He graduated from Cristobal High School in 1975, and obtained a Bachelor Degree in Industrial Arts/Education from Eastern Kentucky University. He retired from Ikon in 2018. His education allowed him to teach in the bush in Alaska where his survival knowledge came in handy. While he enjoyed his time in Alaska, it was the Canal Zone he called home. He loved parties, his stuff, a good deal, hanging out with friends, frequent trips back to Panama, Jimmy Buffett, rum and cokes, beautiful women, flashlights, every gadget known to man, packages from Ebay, procrastination, being prepared, reading, Harry Pottter, 4 wheeling adventures with his “Zonian” brothers, fishing, boating, cooking and life. As a member of the Panama Canal Society, he attended every reunion since 1980. “Scott’s room,” an unofficial hangout at Canal Zone reunions always had a smile, a warm greeting, an empanada, his famous jerky, ceviche, a strong drink, Cuban sandwiches, flashlights, and anything you could possibly need and it was open as long as the reunion was going on. Scott was styling in camouflage, especially fatigues, long before it was popular. He was everyone’s handyman and never met anything he couldn’t fix. Nicknamed McGyver or American Express because you didn’t want to leave home without him was coined by his friends. Another gift was his incredible ability to make everyone he knew feel special and welcome. He gifted many with his useful trinkets of flashlights, bottle openers, or something useful. Always a gentleman, he hated rude people, vegetables, smoothies, cancer, and death.
Scott’s life will be celebrated when it becomes safe to do so because, of course, there’s a pandemic going on and Scott always said “I’ll get to it.” He will be taken home (when it’s safe to do so) by his beloved sister and friends and his ashes scattered in the waters of “home” - Panama.
In lieu of flowers, you can donate to The Salgi Esophageal Cancer Research Institute at https://salgi.org/ or St. Francis Society Animal Rescue, http://www.stfrancisrescue.org/
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