Emeritus Eugene N. Parker, a pioneering astrophysicist whose contributions to solar physics were so enormous that NASA named its Parker Solar Probe mission after him, died March 15. Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Eugene M Parker, age 92, of Longmont, Colorado passed away on Saturday, October 29, 2022. Parker, who was diagnosed with kidney cancer in November, was known as the most prominent and distinguished African-American agent. From there they went to Shawnee Mission (North) High School. His father died in 1970 in California. Prof. Solar scientist Eugene Parker watched as NASA's Parker Solar Probe, named for him, launched into space from Florida on Aug. 12, 2018. But as the Parker Solar Probe makes closer and closer approaches to the sun in the coming years, using flybys of Venus as a gravitational brake, it might pick up radio signals generated by nanoflares and prove Dr. Parker correct again. I only saw him cry twice. Big Brains podcast:Why Mourning Is Essential to Our Well-Being. Ohio Residents: Neptune Society is affiliated with Okerwall Funeral Home. At first, almost no one believed his findings on gigantic eruptions from the sun. Eugene Parker Obituary (1940 - 2018) - Charleston, SC - Charleston Post With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. These children were Joanne had a younger brother, Kenneth, who passed away in February of 1989. In 2017, a NASA mission to fly through the outer wisps of the suns atmosphere was renamed after Dr. Parker. NASA sun probe spies the solar wind in 1st birthday photo. Call Call. I will sincerely miss his excitement and love for Parker Solar Probe. In his early years, he attended Concordia High. I will never forget the pleasure he took in exploring a science problem, and his terrific physical insights which were then buttressed by his analytical skills. The first time, when he pulled up to the rocket and his name was on it, and after that launch, when it really got to him the magnitude of what was happening.. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. 06/06/1926 - 02/13/2021. As a result of his broad interests, a range of scientific concepts are named for him. Where do breakthrough discoveries and ideas come from? Born in 1927 in Houghton, Michigan, Parker completed his undergraduate degree in physics from Michigan State University in 1948 and his Ph.D. from Caltech in 1951. An unabridged version of this tribute to Dr. Eugene Parker by Dr. Kanaris Tsinganos can be found here: https://baas.aas.org/pub/2022i039/release/1, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Posted by Kanaris Tsinganos | April 30, 2022 |, Postdoctoral Positions (2-3) in the Geospace Physics Lab NASA GSFC, Living Reviews in Solar Physics: New articles on Magnetic reconnection and Extreme solar events. Eric Parker said he and his sister, Joyce, simply knew their dad was a scientist and didnt learn about his stature in the field until later in their lives. Eugene "Gene" Lawrence Parker, Jr. was born August 21, 1930 in Highland Park, Michigan. Robert Eugene PARKER, age 94, of El Paso, Texas passed away on Saturday, February 13, 2021. I'm Devastated!!!!! Gene always said that after his father died that he was the patriarch of his line of the Parkers and the first born with his fathers new name. In conclusion, although Gene Parker is no longer with us, his revolutionary discoveries and legacy will live forever, because his main contributions on Plasma Astrophysics and Heliophysics can be discovered only once. Gene was very proud of his school record. The editor of the journal and a future Nobel laureate, Chandrasekhar didnt like the idea eitherbut he couldnt find a flaw with Parkers math, so he overrode the reviewers and published the paper. He was 94. Keith was born in Laurens, SC, August 20, 1961, a son of Roy and Rita Parker. Leave a memory or share a photo below to show your support. He graduated from Lafayette High School class of 1970. Football agent Eugene Parker of Relativity Sports, whose client list included Hall of Famers Deion Sanders and Emmitt Smith, died Thursday night. The prevailing view among some people was that space was absolutely clean, nothing in it, total vacuum, Dr. Parker told The New York Times in 2018. Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. The surface of the sun is 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. His seminal ideas include the origin of magnetic fields, known as dynamo theory; rapid dissipation of magnetic fields; the structure of magnetized shock waves; and the diffusion of high-energy cosmic rays. Parker was invited to attend a ceremony in Sweden next month to celebrate the Crafoord Prize, which he won in 2020. Harold Eugene Miley August 20, 1939 - February 28, 2023 Obituary The mission, originally dubbed Solar Probe+, was named for Parker in 2017, making him the first living scientist to see a spacecraft named in his honor. . Keith was born in Laurens, SC, August 20, 1961, a son of Roy and Rita Parker. He finally mastered the bagpipes. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. Even though Dr. Parker is no longer with us, his discoveries and legacy will live forever.. Gene lettered in track, running the mile, and cross country. Gene was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Janis Kaye (Gibson) Parker. Born July 6, 1961 he was the son of the late Gene Parker and Betty Ann Eugene Gene Ernest Parker, Sr., 86, of Parsonsburg passed away Wednesday, December 14, 2021 at TidalHealth in Salisbury. Robert Eugene PARKER. Dr. Parkers crucial insight was that this flow of particles would follow the same dynamics as wind and water. Interment Woodlawn Cemetery, Sioux Falls, SD. Sechrest-Davis Funerals and Cremations. I had the privilege of completing my Ph.D. thesis under the supervision of Gene Parker (1977-1980), while my office was in between the offices of Parker and Chandrasekhar. And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com. Eugene Parker, the pioneering astrophysicist whose name graces NASA's Parker Solar Probe mission, died Tuesday (March 15) at age 94. Eugene Claire Parker was born January 8th, 1936 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The so-called Parker theorem (1972), deals with the topology of the lines of the magnetic force, and the non-equilibrium of non-invariant fields along some large scale direction. Send Flowers. The experience became part of Dr. Parkers identity as an educator and mentor. From there Gene lived the life of a young boy. He married Deborah Smith on February . When Dr. Zurbuchen joined NASA in 2016, the agency had been working for years on a mission called Solar Probe Plus, which was to swoop close to the sun repeatedly. McGilley & Frye Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Harvey Parker Obituary - Hot Springs, AR - Dignity Memorial A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. Eugene N. Parker, an astrophysicist who theorized the existence of solar wind and became the first person to witness the launch of a spacecraft bearing his name, died March 15 at a retirement community in Chicago. Eugene Parker Obituary (1937 - 2016) - Detroit, MI - Jackson Citizen He retired in 1995, but remained active in the field of astrophysics until shortly before his death. He was a retired electrician and member of the IBEW Keith Eugene Parker, 61, passed away Thursday, November 10, 2022 following a brief illness. Select boxes below to reduce the number of results. Eugene Parker, astrophysicist namesake of NASA solar probe, dies at 94 Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Eugene Parker Obituary (2005) - Baton Rouge, LA - The Advocate - Legacy.com Eugene Parker Obituary (2022) - Chicago, IL - Lake County News Sun EUGENE PARKER, passed away on Thursday, March 31, 2016. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? Keith Eugene Parker, 61, passed away Thursday, November 10, 2022 following a brief illness. The mission is expected to continue observations until 2025. Eugene Lawrence Parker Jr., age 91, of Olathe, Kansas passed away on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Earnest Eugene Parker Obituary With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Earnest Eugene Parker (Memphis, Tennessee), born in Lafollette, Tennessee, who passed away on January 4, 2023 at the age of 79. He. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace. Born in Providence, RI, he. He was the expert on magnetism in the universe and understood it better than anyone else.. Gene changed the course of science with his work on magnetic fields literally everywhere in the cosmos, but he remained humble and approachable, with a wry sense of humor. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. That same year, Parker was asked about the advice he would give to early-career scientists. The University and the department has lost one of its giants, said Michael Turner, the Bruce V. and Diana M. Rauner Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and Astrophysics at UChicago and a colleague of Parkers for decades. Dr. Zurbuchen said he disliked the name Solar Probe Plus and wrote to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine asking it to suggest a person to name the mission after. Eugene Parker Obituary (2018) - Winnsboro, LA - The News Star - Legacy.com It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. He was the first born of Eugene and Hazel Marie (Anderson) Parker. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. EAST BROOKFIELD - Eugene M. Parker, 62, died on Sunday, December 6, 2020 at home. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science since 2015. He was born on June 19, 1940, in Waycross, GA, to Grace Gilbert Parker and Eugene Parker. Eugene "Butch" Parker Mt. And they led him to some very interesting phenomena that people hadnt discovered.. In 1942, the kids started school in Lenexa. Obituary. Parker is survived by his wife Niesje, to whom he was married for 67 years, as well as brother Phillip; son Eric Glenn Parker (married to Susan) and daughter Joyce Marie Parker (married to Ed); grandchildren Owen Loh (married to Allison), Miles Loh (married to Michelle), and Nolan Loh (fiance Hillary Wang); and great-grandchildren Lena and Elliott. Frank was born December 2, 1937, in Burns, Mississippi, a son of the late Eugene Lawrence Parker Jr., age 91, of Olathe, Kansas passed away on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. EUGENE PARKER Obituary (2016) - Fort Wayne, IN - Fort Wayne Newspapers Parker correctly predicted that the solar wind would create a large bubble around the sun, the heliosphere (1961). He is survived by his daughter Lauren Faye (Parker) Ingle, sister Thedra Smith, brother Kenneth Parker, two granddaughters, five great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. In four years of high school, he only missed four hours and made the honor roll (maintaining a B average) seven out of eight semesters. Top draft hopefuls Jaylon Smith, Laquon Treadwell and Noah Spence had signed with Parker. "Gene represented to me the ideal physicist brilliant and accomplished, personable, articulate, but also humble," Robert Rosner, an astrophysicist at the University of Chicago and a longtime colleague of Parker's, said in the university statement. The theory was later proven to be correct, reshaping our picture of space and the solar system. Keith Eugene Parker Obituary With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Keith Eugene Parker (High Point, North Carolina), born in Laurens, South Carolina, who passed away on November 10, 2022 at the age of 61. His work did not rely on 20th-century physics breakthroughs like quantum mechanics or Albert Einsteins theory of general relativity, but rather on older physics like Maxwells equations, devised by James Clerk Maxwell in the 1860s to describe the behavior of electric and magnetic fields. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Home . Rather than joining the Spurs, he chose to work on his law degree. He ranked up there with Stephen Hawking in his ability to express the gist of an issue, scientific or otherwise, in a few clear sentences.. He retired in 1995 after 40 years at the University of Chicago, but he continued to publish articles and books. His father was born in Elmira, New York and his birth name was Kenneth Miles Carey. Together Eugene and Ruthie enjoyed family events, both with his family and hers, visiting the Black Hills, attending Renner Lutheran Church and most of all being together. The paper might not have been published but for Parkers colleague at the University, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. Hazel met and married J.D. There we go, Dr. Parker said as the engines of a Delta 4 Heavy rocket lit up the early-morning skies around Cape Canaveral on Aug. 12, 2018. The Dignity Memorial online obituary search tool gives you access to obituaries from thousands of locations across North America. The Parker Solar Probes successful launch which Dr. Parker attended at age 91 has since provided unprecedented views of the sun. Even though Dr. Parker is no longer with us, his discoveries and legacy will live forever.". He studied physics at Michigan State University and the California Institute of Technology, then taught at the University of Utah before coming to the University of Chicago in 1955. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Baker & Parker Stephen Decatur Scholarship Fund at the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, Inc., 1324 Belmont Ave., Suite 401, Salisbury MD 21804. The Parker Solar Probes successful launch, which Parker attended at age 91, has since provided unprecedented views of the sun. Eugene Parker | Obituary | The Press Republican Sign up for service and obituary updates. He retired in 1995 but continued to publish articles and books. His name is littered across astrophysics: the Parker instability, which describes magnetic fields in galaxies; the Parker equation, which describes particles moving through plasmas; the Sweet-Parker model of magnetic fields in plasmas; and the Parker limit on the flux of magnetic monopoles. Prominent NFL agent Parker dies of cancer at 60, The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and (soon) a Bachelor of History from Athabasca University. Eugene "Hughie" Parker, 85, of Altoona, went home to be with the Lord on Friday from complications of COVID-19 at UPMC Altoona. As such, in the State of Oregon Preneed Crematory Sales and Services are conducted under the trade name Neptune Cremation Service. None of the insurance products promoted at this sales event are endorsed by those organizations, all of which offer free advice to veterans about how to qualify and apply for benefits. Eugene Claire Parker was born January 8th, 1936 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. NASA's Parker Solar Probe launched in August 2018to study the sun's outer atmosphere, called the corona, by diving within 4 million miles (6.5 million kilometers) of the visible surface of the sun. CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. Earnest Eugene "Gene" Parker Obituary (1943 - 2023) | Memphis, Tennessee Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.horisawardfairviewchapel.com for the Donald E. Parker, 80, of Fort Wayne, went to his heavenly home Sunday, December 4, 2022. Dr. Parker, he said, was happy when people pointed out a mistake in his calculations but not pleased when people accepted prevalent scientific assumptions without question. "His name is littered across astrophysics: the Parker instability, which describes magnetic fields in galaxies; the Parker equation, which describes particles moving through plasmas; the Sweet-Parker model of magnetic fields in plasmas; and the Parker limit on the flux of magnetic monopoles," the university wrote of Parker. Whether youre a lifelong resident of D.C. or you just moved here, weve got you covered. Although the common wisdom among scientists in the 1950s was that space was empty, comets had already suggested otherwise. He married his childhood sweetheart, Bobbie Hill Parker, and they were happily married for 57 years. "Anyone who knew Dr. Parker, knew that he was a visionary," Nicola Fox, director of NASA's heliophysics division, said in the agency statement. His death was announced by the University of Chicago, where he had been a professor for decades. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. His was a life lived with dignity, resilient faith and strong Christian values, always on display. It blankets the planets, protecting us from harmful radiationbut also occasionally disrupting our communications, in the case of solar flares. Editor's note: The University will hold a memorial service for Eugene Parker on Oct. 8 in Bond Chapel. He was born in Altoona, son . NASA officials and university colleagues hailed Dr. Parker as a visionary in his field of heliophysics, focused on the study of the sun and other stars. November 24, 2020 (Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben), SpaceX Crew-6 astronaut launch: Live updates, What's inside the sun? Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller? Over the past 47+ years, our experienced team has assisted families, their loved ones, and caregivers in carrying out final wishes more affordably, with dignity and respect. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Eugene Parker Obituary (2012) - Oak Park, IL - Chicago Sun-Times Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcomand onFacebook. Even though Dr. Chandrasekhar, a future Nobel laureate, disagreed with Dr. Parkers conclusions, he overruled the reviewers, and the paper was published. Ocean City - Eugene (Gene) Rayne Parker Jr, age 81, died peacefully in his home on November 24, 2020. All rights reserved. Anyone can read what you share. A star tour from the inside out. on June 25,1958 the son of the late Kenneth and Marjorie Parker. Would you like to offer Eugene Parkers loved ones a condolence message? Let others know about your loved one's death. My father, Harvey Eugene Parker, was a remarkable man whose positive influence on the lives of many is a measure of his legacy that will live on for many generations. Find an Obituary. Gene Parker was a legendary figure in our fieldhis vision of the sun and the solar system was way ahead of his time, said Angela Olinto, the Albert A. Michelson Distinguished Service Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics and dean of the Physical Sciences Division at the University of Chicago. Share Obituary. Nevertheless, before that his conclusion was roundly criticized. EUGENE PARKER OBITUARY. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Plant a . Eugene "Gene" Lawrence Parker, Jr. was born August 21, 1930 in Highland Park, Michigan. He found new and novel solutions, Dr. Turner said, and was brilliant at interpreting them.. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. March 21, 1939 - Obituaries. Support at last came from a colleague of Parker's at the university, Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar who himself, decades later became the namesake of NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. Obituary: Eugene N. Parker (1927 - 2022) | SolarNews A cremation for Robert will be held Friday, February 19, 2021 at 12:00 AM. Send a gift to a service or familys home. The first reviewer on the paper said, Well I would suggest that Parker go to the library and read up on the subject before he tries to write a paper about it, because this is utter nonsense, Parker told UChicago News in 2018. Parker's client list of active players included Larry Fitzgerald, Jason Pierre-Paul and Alshon Jeffery. Thomas Parker Obituary - Norman, OK - dignitymemorial.com He was born in Jackson, MI on July 31, 1937, to Loy and Goldie Parker. Gene was born May 8, 1952 to Betty June and Harry J. Parker of St. Joseph. Parker proposed (1987) that the solar corona might be heated by a myriad of tiny nanoflares, miniature brightenings resembling solar flares that would occur all over the surface of the Sun, a leading theory to explain the coronal heating problem. After retirement he worked for a small local communications company and then went on to work and retire from Sprint after 15 years. In addition to over 400 scientific papers in journals, Parker published four books which have become landmarks in the field: Interplanetary Dynamical Process (1963), Cosmical Magnetic Fields: Their Origin and their Activity (1979), Spontaneous Current Sheets in Magnetic Fields, with Application to Stellar X-rays (1994) and Conversations on Electric and Magnetic Fields in the Cosmos (2007). She recalled his seemingly boundless energy in the early morning hours preceding the launch and his childlike grin when everything went smoothly. Eugene Parker Obituary But his children most remembered him as an involved dad and an avid hiker, camper and craftsman who carved busts of famous figures from wood and made much of the familys furniture. Parker represented the likes of Curtis Martin, Deion Sanders, Emmitt Smith and Rod Woodson during their Hall of Fame.