John W. Parker

June 7, 1943 - December 24, 2019

John W. Parker of Seaford passed away on Tuesday, December 24, 2019 at his home in Seaford. He was 76. He was born on June 7, 1943 in Haverhill, Massachusetts the son of the late Howard Parker and Vera Bancroft Parker. He graduated from ​Pentucket Regional​ High School. He later met and married his first wife, Ja​ne Wheatley ​Love and they made their home in​ Salem NH and Bridgeville, DE​. He later married Trudy Phillips ​Parker. He worked with horses all of his life.​ He was a trainer and groom in the Beckwith Stables, racing up and down the Eastern Seaboard. In 1976, he moved his family to Delaware. ​He ​then ​worked at E.I. DuPont​, he started working in textiles, when he retired he was working in the salt house. He was employed by E.I. DuPont for over 20 years, retiring in June, of 2001. Upon retiring he went back to the horses, working for Nanticoke Racing and Gab Lan Acres with his family. A true outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting, fishin​g, the horses ​and gardening. He was an avid singer who enjoyed music, spending time with his family, grandchildren and friends. ​He loved to make people laugh, you could often find him telling a joke or singing karaoke with his friends. He loved to feed and cook for people, and was famous for homemade pies, fresh garden vegetables and his and Irene’s pepper relish that he would make and deliver to the people he loved regularly. At the time of his passing he was with his longtime companion, Irene King of Seaford. He loved to spend time with her and her adult children and grandchildren. He considered them all his family. He is survived by seven children: Jennifer Dorman and her husband James of Seaford, Carrie Stoeckel of Oklahoma City, OK, Amy Jo​ ​Herr and her husband Chad of Seaford, Joshua Parker and his wife Dawn of Bridgeville, Matthew Parker and his fiancée Ashley of Laurel, Brooke Cassels and her husband Jamie of Bethel and Jonathan Fleetwood of Georgetown, nine grandchildren: Justin Dorman, Jordan Dorman, Colbie Stoeckel, Rosie Stoeckel, Lindsey Stoeckel, Cody Herr, ​Lexie ​Smart, ​Gab​by Parker and Laney Parker; four great grandchildren, Liliana Dorman, Bentley Dorman, Easton Smart and Elliott Herr; three siblings: Margie Fairbanks of Haverhill, MA and Gladys Duchemin of Amesbury, MA, and ​Bruce P​arker and his wife Dian​e​ of Centerville ME and a host of nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three siblings; Joseph Parker​, Alden Parker, ​and Carol “Honey” Wells. A memorial service will be held on Friday, January 3, 2020 at Bethel Worship Church, 26648 Sussex Highway, Seaford with the Reverend Joe LeCates officiating. The family will receive friends from 10:​0​0 to 11:00. ​With a service at 11:00. ​Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to; The Good Ole Boy Foundation: GOBF-LN Fire 36111 Peartree Rd, Millsboro, DE 19966.