Harry (Zvi) F. (Pachter) Parker

The obituary for Harry (Zvi) F. Parker

Harry (Zvi) F. Parker passed away at his residence in Reno on October 9, 2003. He was born in 1911 in Oakland, CA to Chaim Mordecai and Sarah Rifka Parker, a Jewish couple who emigrated from Russia-Poland to the United States in 1906.

Always gregarious, Harry was known as the "Mayor of Grand Avenue" where he grew up in Oakland and attended the University of California at Berkeley. In addition to his schoolwork, Harry excelled in athletics (especially baseball) and was coxswain for the University of California crew team. Harry even dabbled in theatre arts, taking part in various school productions.

When World War II broke out in 1941, Harry rushed to enlist in the United States Navy and saw major combat action in the South Pacific where he was stationed on the destroyer, the USS Hull, which was attacked on numerous occasions by Japanese aircraft. In 1942, Harry was transferred to officer candidate school, just months before the USS Hull was lost in a typhoon, killing almost all crew members aboard. Thereafter, Harry became a First Lieutenant on the destroyer, the USS Allen, where he served for the rest of the war, escorting ships from the mainland United States to Hawaii and engaging in anti-submarine training.

After his honorable discharge at the end of the war, Harry returned to the Bay Area where, in 1946, he married his sweetheart, Anne Siegel of San Francisco, whom he had met just before the war broke out. After their marriage in San Francisco, Harry and Anne moved to Reno where Harry began working for his eldest brother, George Parker, who had established Parker's Western Wear in 1919 at the corner of Second and Center, next to what was then the Greyhound Bus depot. After his brother's death in 1958, Harry purchased the store from his brother's widow, moved it's location to 151 N. Sierra St., and took in his brother, Maurice Parker, as a partner. For 40 years, until the store was liquidated in 2000, the two brothers owned and operated the store which became a well-known institution on the Reno landscape, serving ranchers, cowboys, celebrities, visitors, and just ordinary folk.

From the time he first came to Reno in 1946, Harry became active in almost all areas of community life. He had been a founder and major supporter of his synagogue, Temple Emanuel of Reno. He had also been active in numerous organizations, including the Executive Association of Reno, the National Judicial College, The Reno Rodeo Association, The Navy League, The Prospector's Club, The Elk's Club, and had consistently helped sponsor numerous important Reno events, such as the air races and balloon races.

Harry is survived by his son Stuart, his daughter-in-law Chasya, his three grandchildren, Yaakov, Dovid, and Channa Rifka; his nephews, Steven Parker and Robert Parker of Reno; his cousins, Florence and Rex Parcels of Reno; his nephew Eugene Shatkin and family of Novato, CA; and his niece, Audrey Shatkin Weiss & family of Berkeley, CA.

Graveside services will be held on Friday, October 10, 2003, at 9:30 a.m., at the Hebrew Cemetery on Angel Street in Reno. A reception to celebrate Harry's life will follow at Temple Emanuel, 1031 Manzanita Lane, Reno. Arrangements are under the direction of the Walton Funeral Home, Reno.