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Allyn Lee Parker of Vancouver, WA

April 25, 1942 to June 19, 2010

Lee Parker

Allyn Lee Parker, 68, lost his long battle with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) on Saturday, June 19, 2010. Lee was born April 25, 1942 at the old Harrison Hospital in Bremerton to Asbery Mixon "Lee" Parker and Evelyn "Sheets" Parker. Lee was raised in Port Orchard and attended local schools. He was always interested in music and got his first guitar at age 10.

Many of you knew Lee through his music and the bands he formed, sang and played with when you were still teenagers here in Kitsap County. He never lost his love of music and after he could no longer sing and play his guitar commercially because of the COPD, he went back to school at Seattle University, received his BS in Psychology and worked as a substance abuse counselor in the Vancouver/Portland area for the past 20 years. He was very good at it! Lee often incorporated his musical talents into his counseling, writing parodies to old songs and singing them to his group session attendees to get his points across. It was quite effective. He made a difference in many troubled peoples' lives, showing them an alternative to their current lifestyle.

Lee was preceded in death by his father and daughter Carmen and first wife Janet (Story) Parker.

Lee met his wife of 13 years, Pat, an RN in the Vancouver area. Pat has two grown children, Emily (Jeff Axman) Matza and Adam Matza and one grandson, Isaac Axman, who Lee was as crazy about as he was his own three college age grandchildren, Scott, Zachery and Nicole Parker and his son Charlie Parker and wife Carmen all who live in Kitsap County. Charlie has his own band, Skinny Charles, in which he sings and plays the guitar just like his dad. His granddaughter Nicole and grandson Zak are equally as talented singers and Zak plays the guitar as well.

Lee is also survived by his mother, Evelyn J. Parker of Bremerton, two sisters, Lynda Brooks of Gig Harbor, Holly Parker Harden of Port Orchard, nine nieces and nephews, 11 great nieces and nephews and 13 first cousins.

Lee was a great son, brother, husband, father,grandfather and uncle and his presence will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

At his request, there will be no formal service. However, if you still live in the area or hear of Lee's passing through a friend and can remember back to the 50's and 60's when Lee first started his music career here in Kitsap County, please contact his sister Holly either by email at hparkerharden@wavecable.com or by phone at 360-895-3181. A private open house memorial in Lee's honor will be held at Holly and her husband Larry Harden's home on Sunday, July 11, from 1 PM to 5 PM. There will be photos of Lee's music career dating back to his first band, The Sharps. Others will remember later bands such as Joe Faker and Little Bill and the Blue Notes. You are welcome to come share your memories with his family of the "Good old days" or your personal memories of Lee's music in your youth. You might remember the dances Lee played for all over the county in the 50's and 60's. To refresh some of your senior memories, there was Pearl Maurer's of course plus every dance hall at County lakes from up north at Lamolo, Island Lake and south to Horseshoe Lake. They all had dance halls and Lee's bands played at all of them. Before that was the old Bethel School House and the Bethel Grange and after that was the Armory on Mile Hill then later the Eagles and Bay Street Bowery. Lee and various bands later played all over the Seattle/Tacoma area and he received the Blues Master award a few years back at The Swiss Pub in downtown Tacoma. To those of you who knew Lee, thank you for being in his life. An RSVP is requested if you plan to attend the private memorial.