Joseph Ralph Parker

On May 4th, our beloved Joseph Ralph Parker passed away peacefully at the age of 87 in his Menlo Park home after a long and brave battle with cancer. He is survived by his devoted wife Kathy, son Todd (Laura), daughter Delynn, and son Reed (Regan), and his adoring grandchildren Charlotte, Jack, Grace, Thomas, and Anna Parker, and his stepsister Betty Gammell.

Ralph valued his family above all and was thrilled that the entire family stayed in the Bay Area enjoying good times together that often lasted for hours with uproarious laughter. In recent months, he would announce frequently, “It’s been a great life!” Ralph was greatly loved and will be missed by his family. We will remember him as undeniably kind, steadfast, smart, eager to help, handsome, and ready for a good joke. So, raise a glass of fine wine or a chocolate milkshake (Ralph’s favorite) in his name and remember all the wonderful things he brought into our lives. Ralph was born on August 1st, 1934 in Los Angeles to Joseph Ramsay Parker and Alice Bernard Parker. He spent his early years in Southern California until his family moved to San Luis Obispo. They then moved to Los Gatos where Ralph graduated in 1952 from Los Gatos High School. He enjoyed athletics, especially playing football, basketball, & tennis. He was the first in his family to attend college, San Jose State University, where he joined the ATO fraternity and developed lifelong friendships.

In 1953, Ralph enlisted in the United States Army where he served in a Tank Battalion in Germany and on leave you could find him at the Jazz Clubs in Germany. After the Army, he returned to SJSU where he thoroughly enjoyed campus life and graduated in 1959. He married Patricia Hendrix that same year with whom he had 2 children, Todd and Delynn.

Ralph came from humble beginnings and rose to success with the help of positive thinking, optimism and perseverance. At 25, he started his career in the brokerage business, which would span over 60 years. This journey included Dean Witter, J. Barth, Morgan Stanley, Montgomery Securities, Merrill Lynch and UBS. He opened and established the first retail office, west of the Mississippi, for Alex Brown & Sons in San Francisco. He was passionate about his work and enjoyed developing relationships with his clients, as well as training and mentoring brokers and support staff. If you were a broker in San Francisco, then you probably knew Ralph Parker.

In 1975 he married Katherine Farrell, and together they had a son, Reed. They continued to live happily in the Bay Area until his passing, spending a good deal of time enjoying Lake Tahoe with family and friends. Ralph was always very loyal to and interested in creating communities wherever he went. He had strong ties to The Family Club in San Francisco for over 30 years, serving on the board and contributing to its growth.

In addition to his family, Ralph was happiest participating in sports and the outdoors. He loved coaching all three children on sports teams. Tennis, golf, and skiing were his favorites along with fishing, hunting, boating on Lake Tahoe, playing dominoes, and cheering on our local sports teams. He enjoyed life to the fullest and will be truly missed by all.

There will be a small Celebration of Life for him in the Fall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Camp Blue Skies, 2820 Selwyn Ave, Box 767, Charlotte, NC 28209 or The Family Foundation, 155 Montgomery Street, Suite 1600, San Francisco, CA 94104 or a Charity of your choice.