Larry Parker

LARRY MACK PARKER age 76, beloved husband of Jennifer Johnson for 41 years; loving father of Blake (Liz); devoted grandfather of Lara; cherished son of the late Lorimer and Josephine (nee Mack); dearest brother of Paulla (nee Parker) Weddle; dear uncle of Matt (Tiffany) Weddle and great uncle of Weston Weddle; dear uncle of the late Lacie Weddle Moore and great uncle of Aedan Mannion and Layla Farber.

Larry walked his own path and lived his life to the fullest. He dove deep into his passions, ranging from diving over a hundred feet deep into the Great Blue Hole to swim with sharks, to navigating the challenging waters of academia, to exploring the flow of energy in the body through kung fu and tai chi. During his time, he amassed a wealth of knowledge, stories, and opinions, all of which he shared freely with a smile.

On December 31, 1947, Tachikawa, Japan, rang in the new year with the birth of the first ever blonde-haired baby at its Air Force base hospital. After the birth of Larry's younger sister, Paulla, Lorimer's military career kept the family moving to new military bases around the world. During his early childhood, Larry bounced from state to state across the American South, where his vigor and white-blonde hair earned him the nicknames "Pogo" and "Snowball." He then spent two years matching wits with nuns at a French boarding school, where he often earned wraps on the knuckles before revitalizing himself with fresh baguettes stuffed with chocolate. Upon the family's return to the US, they continued traversing the South through the rest of Larry's early life.

After completing high school Larry attended Rice University, where he ran track, played club rugby, and was coerced into joining the cheerleading squad. His unique combination of extracurricular activities culminated in his leading the rugby team and cheerleading squad through a series of uncouth songs at a Rice basketball game. Sadly, the University President was in attendance and handed Larry what he believed to be the first suspension dictated directly from the President himself. Larry enjoyed his time at Rice so much that he ultimately chose to do not one, but two "victory laps," completing his undergraduate education and enrolling in a PhD program.

During his final year at Rice, Larry heard the call to military service, so he left the PhD program and enlisted in the United States Army. Always ready for a challenge, Larry became fully qualified as a ranger and a paratrooper. He endured the rigorous training and relished the opportunities to parachute out of helicopters and airplanes. He achieved the rank of Captain. During that period, he was primarily stationed in Baumholder, Germany, and he took full advantage of the bit of free time he had there. Larry often reminisced about his time served in Germany, when he skied in the Alps with his army buddies, and when he crashed a green Porsche named "Frog" on the Autobahn. He served for four years before his honorable discharge from military service.

After serving in the military Larry returned to university life to achieve higher levels of education. First, he earned a master's degree in psychology at the University of Southern California. He followed that up with a PhD in accountancy from the University of Houston.

After living in Los Angeles and Houston, Larry longed for a break from crowded cities and relocated to Laramie, Wyoming, where he completed his dissertation and begin his academic career as an assistant professor of accountancy at the University of Wyoming. In Laramie he found peace, quiet, and happiness while hiking in the mountains with his first border collie, Lucy. His time in relative solitude ended when he accepted the role of faculty resident at Arthur Andersen and worked at World Headquarters in Chicago.

Larry's return to city life proved to be the most fortuitous move of his life. In Chicago, he met Jennifer, the woman who captured his heart and became his wife. Larry and Jen progressed from their first date to marriage in six months. Using every ounce of his charm, Larry convinced the life-long Chicagoan to pack up everything and move with him to Laramie.

After a year and a half, Larry sought an academic appointment that would give him additional opportunities. He was appointed as a faculty member in the Department of Accountancy at the Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University (CWRU), in Cleveland, Ohio. With the move to Cleveland, Larry's days of living around the globe ended. He and Jen fell in love with the city, and he spent his final 39 years by the shores of Lake Erie.

Larry spent the remainder of his professional career in the Department of Accountancy at the Weatherhead School of Management. From 1985 to 2016, he devoted himself to the achievements of his students and the department. During his career, Larry became a tenured full professor and supported others to follow. He was a dedicated Director of the Master of Accountancy program, a path that helped many students become successful CPAs. He taught technically rigorous accounting courses and kept his office door open to encourage students to drop by with questions. He also served as chair of the department. Among his many achievements at CWRU, he considered it an honor to perform the reading of the "Frog" poem, an annual tradition of the Accountancy Department. With puppet in hand, he proudly recited the words of wisdom that an optimistic attitude and continued effort would lead to success.

In 1993, Larry and Jen had their only child, Blake. Larry doted on his son, and passed on his love of animals, reading, and sports. Larry livened up the house with a steady stream of pets. Over the years, three border collies, numerous cats, and a turtle named Splashy were valued members of the household. In addition, he indulged a young boy's curiosity with various lizards, frogs, and fish. Larry also developed the habit of carrying around treats to dole out to pets, both his own and other people's dogs he met while he and Jen walked their dog around the neighborhood.

Larry was a lifelong reader, and he particularly loved sharing his favorite fantasy and science fiction novels with his family. To his great joy, Blake brought home the first three Harry Potter books in first grade. To encourage the young boy's enjoyment of reading, Larry offered a candy reward upon completion of each new chapter. Always the educator, he gave his son Harry Potter quizzes! From that time onward, Larry sought out new novels that he could read and recommend to his wife and son.

Larry believed that keeping active was important to being a well-rounded and healthy person. Throughout his life, he studied many forms of martial arts, and he practiced Tai Chi up to his final days. He also loved team sports and was an avid fan of the Cleveland Guardians and Cavaliers. He and Jen spent many nights in front of the TV enjoying East Coast Custard while rooting for a Cleveland team. He also coached Blake's childhood baseball team for three years. He was devoted to helping the kids on the team learn, grow, and enjoy the game. When the boys were 12 years old, Larry battled cancer, but still found the strength to coach them in Cooperstown, New York, the mecca of little league baseball.

Even though Larry found a permanent home in Cleveland, he never lost his love of travel and culture. For New Years Eve in 1999 Larry traveled with family and friends to Belize. He joked "If Y2K is going to interfere with technology, why not enjoy the moment on a beach?" In 2015 Larry hiked in Machu Picchu, where he befriended many Alpacas. After his retirement in 2016, Larry and Jen explored different parts of the world, often via cruise ship and sometimes with friends. They sailed the fjords of northern Europe and Iceland, the coastlines and islands of southern Europe, the Nile in Egypt, the Amazon in Brazil, and island hopped in the Caribbean. They explored Mayan ruins in Guatemala and Belize. Their final big trip in 2024 was to enjoy national parks and wildlife in Costa Rica.

In 2023 Larry's granddaughter, Lara, was born. He found fulfillment being a grandfather. He and Jen frequently drove to Chicago over the past year to spend time with her. Lara's sass and attitude always brought a smile to Larry's face, and he cherished his final Father's Day with his family.

On August 30, 2024, Larry passed away. Over his life, his actions reflected his deepest desire: to help others become the best versions of themselves. He sought to support others in their growth, and their successes brought him joy. Larry will be remembered as a man who was selfless, thoughtful, and caring in his professional and personal lives.

Arrangements and cremation entrusted to THE DeJOHN-FLYNN-MYLOTT FUNERAL HOME OF WILLOUGHBY HILLS.

Contributions may be made in memory of Larry to either the Greater Cleveland Food Bank by clicking HERE or the Cleveland Museum of Art by clicking HERE.

Family will receive friends between 11AM and 2PM on Saturday, September 28, 2024, for a Remembrance Gathering at THE DeJOHN-FLYNN-MYLOTT FUNERAL HOME OF WILLOUGHBY HILLS, 28890 CHARDON ROAD (between Bishop Rd. and Rt. 91)