Alton Brooks Parker Barnes, 1927-1999Alton Brooks Parker Barnes, the eldest of three children to Brooks Parker Barnes and Isabelle Copes Barnes, was born on August 29, 1927. He graduated from Onancock High School and pursued further studies at the University of Illinois, the Progressive School of Photography, and took extension courses at the University of Tokyo. In 1981, as an ordained minister in the Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church, he had graduated from the Course of Study at Duke Divinity School, Duke University. Parker Barnes was a veteran of the United States Air Force, having seen combat duty in the Korean Conflict. He served with the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing of the 5th United States Air Force, and was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. On September 19, 1953, Parker married the former Virginia Lee Howard of Machipongo and shared in the joy of rearing two children, Mary Kerr, and Michael. In 1958, he joined the staff of the Eastern Shore News, where he became an award-winning writer, and later rose to the position of associate editor until he left the paper in 1969. He was also one of the founders, in 1959, of the Bank of Cheer, which provides food, toys, and blankets at Christmastime for people who are in need. This is done in conjunction with the Eastern Shore News. Sensing a call to full-time ministry, Parker responded in faith and served with distinction as a pastor in the Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Parker’s appointments included the Pocomoke and the Accomac Charge on the Eastern Shore, the Phenix Charge in Charlotte County, the Rehoboth Parish in Northumberland County, and the Bowling Green Charge near Ashland. In retirement, he continued to preach and teach. In addition to newspaper writing, Parker published books, numerous historical articles, and contributions to books such as Shipwrecks, Skin-Divers and Sunken Gold by David Horner, Eastern Shore of Virginia by Nora Miller Turmann, and Over On the Eastern Shore by Henry A. Wise. In addition to writing, he delighted in aviation and was a licensed pilot. Over the years, Parker was active in numerous community groups such as Onancock Elk’s Lodge, the American Legion, the Onley and Parksley Masonic Lodges, and VFW. A charter member of the Eastern Shore Jaycees, he was an early member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Also, he was one of the founders of the Onley Fire and Rescue Company, he was for a while the disaster chairman for the Accomack County Red Cross. Most recently, he worked to refurbish the historic Debtor’s Prison in Accomac. He died on October 28, 1999, after having been diagnosed of leukemia in January of that year. He is survived by his wife, Virginia; a son, Michael; a daughter, Mary Kerr Jefferson; five grandchildren; and a sister, Hetty Rai Widgen. — The Barnes Family |