D. Wayne Parkinson

David Wayne Parkinson, 87, passed away peacefully at his home in Lawrence on Friday, July 18^th. Memorial services will be determined at a later date.

Wayne was born on January 7, 1927 in Reynoldsburg Ohio, the son of Rufus David Parkinson and Evelyn Donnelly Parkinson. Wayne grew up in San Francisco, California and graduated from George Washington High School. He received a business degree from the University of California at Berkeley, where he was active with the Kappa Alpha fraternity (!). There he rowed on the varsity men’s rowing team and was an alternate the year Cal won gold at the Olympics in London.

Wayne served on the USS Saginaw Bay, A CVE-82, a Casablanca Class escort carrier, during World War II.

Wayne earned a graduate degree in International Management from Thunderbird, the American Graduate School for International Management, in Glendale Arizona. He was recruited by Standard Oil International, and was sent to Karachi, Pakistan as sales manager where he rowed on the British rowing team. Wayne went on to work for Investors Overseas Services, a mutual fund company based in Geneva, Switzerland. Wayne lived and worked in Bangkok, Thailand and in Jakarta, Indonesia.

After returning to the states, Wayne worked for National ChemSearch and for Transworld Systems.   Wayne has lived Lawrence since 1983. One of his favorite books growing up was Horatio Alger’s Strive and Succeed and this he did all his life. When he retired, he did his best to keep himself busy and working, even when attention was co-opted by his battle with Parkinson’s disease.   Wayne passed on his unbelievable work ethic, sense of humor, and keen business sense to his three children, of whom he was always so very proud.

Wayne married Mary Ely on January 14, 1982, in Kansas City, Missouri. She survives of the home. Other survivors include daughter Kim and her husband Sean, son David, currently in Paraguay, daughter Laura, New York, two grandsons, Quinn, age 11 and Ian, age 6, and sister Norma Grimes, Florida. He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Patricia Pritchard, and his favorite Aunt Shirley.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Lawrence Parkinson’s Support Group in care of Elaine Penny, 2320 Brett Dr. Lawrence, KS 66049.