Herbert Franklin Parker, Jr.

PARKER, HERBERT FRANKLIN,
He was born in Greenville, KY and graduated from Greenville High School in 1952. He graduated from Kentucky Wesleyan College in 1956 with a BS degree in English and Journalism. He received the Certificate of Supervision and Administration of Vocational Education in 1987 from Murray State University.
He worked part-time while attending college and fulltime after college as a sports reporter, news reporter, advertising layout and copy writer, sports editor and PM Managing Editor for the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer from 1952-1968.
He worked for the Owensboro Public Schools as the Director of Community Relations in 1969. He worked as a Supervisor of Employee Communications & Benefits for General Electric of Owensboro until 1973 when he returned to the Messenger-Inquirer as the Associate Editor. In 1975, he began work as a Special Agent for the Lincoln National Insurance Corporation until 1977 when he was hired as the Industrial Coordinator for Region 3 Vocational Education. He became the Education Consultant for Region 3 until 1992 when he moved to Frankfort to assume the duties of Executive Director of Communications for Kentucky's Cabinet for Workforce Development. In this position, he won several communications awards. Part of his duties involved special communications projects for the governor's office including health insurance reform and an environmental conference featuring Vice President Al Gore. He enjoyed writing speeches for Governors Brereton Jones and Paul Patton, as well as, legislators and other officials. He served on the Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS) transitional team and later served as the assistant to the chancellor of the technical colleges until his retirement in August, 2002.
He worked as a radio sportscaster for WOMI, wrote television scripts and directed a television production.
He coached youth baseball for 20 years, served as youth director for his church and sang in church choirs in Owensboro and Frankfort.
He was preceded in death by his sons, Mike Parker and Jeff Parker.
He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Tara Henderson Parker of Louisville, KY; daughters, Amy Parker Cuenca (Carlos) of Louisville, KY and Sondra Parker of Orlando, FL; son, Rick Parker of Orlando, FL; grandchildren, Grace Cuenca of Louisville, KY, Travis Parker (Jen) of Portland, OR, Leslie Parker Loomis (Bob) of Orlando, FL, Lory Parker Barks (Stuart) of Orlando, FL, Leah Akers King of Winter Park, FL, Garrett Martin of Owensboro, KY, Justin Martin of Louisville, KY, Alyssa Althaus of Winter Park, FL and Dylan Althaus of Winter Park, FL; great grandchildren, Charlie Barks and Emmett and Wyatt Parker; sister-in-law, Rita Chew of Owensboro, KY; nephews, Kevin Akers (Jackie and son, Kole) of Franklin, TN and Keith Chew (Valerie) of Owensboro, KY.
A celebration of life service will be held at
12 p.m. on Thursday, June 8, 2017 at the Glenn Funeral Home 900 Old Hartford Road Owensboro, KY 42303. Visitation will be after 9 a.m. on Thursday.
Memorial gifts may be made to Hosparus.
Arrangements entrusted to Embry-Bosse Funeral Home.