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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
PARKINSON, Kenneth Walter - was born in a very different Kamloops on May 31, 1927. The son of a railway man and grandson of the local stagecoach driver, his roots in the community ran deep.
During World War II, he proudly enlisted to serve his country in the Canadian Armed Forces, eventually joining the Navy. Upon returning home, he worked for the Kamloops Daily Sentinel. During this time, he attended a dance where he met a beautiful girl named Anna, who, fortunately, lived just down the lane. They became inseparable and married in June 1949.
Dad loved building—whether it was community, businesses, buildings, friendships, or family (though not necessarily in that order). He started Parkinson Building Supplies, an old-fashioned hardware and lumber store with a happy staff who were like extended family. He used his business to sponsor community sports teams from the 1950s through the 1970s. Dad also brought the Lions Club to Kamloops, and as president, he helped raise funds to build the Riverside Park Pool.
He felt fortunate to have grown up surrounded by the jazz and blues of the 1930s and 1940s. Together with his dear friend Dr. Bill French, he frequently co-hosted the radio show Claude Richmond and All That Jazz.
At the age of 42, Dad sold his business and moved the family to the West Coast, where he embraced a new career in real estate. He rekindled his love of the sea aboard his boat, Jasmine.
Ken and Anna moved back home to Kamloops in the 1990s to be closer to Anna’s ailing sister, Alena.
Ken passed away on October 5, 2024, at the age of 97. He lived a life as big as the Thompson River, with a wit and warmth that left an indelible mark on everyone lucky enough to cross his path.
Ken is survived by his devoted wife of 75 years, Anna; his children Donald of Abbotsford, BC; David (Jessie) of New Glasgow, NS; Anne (John) Emerson of Kamloops, BC; Joan (James) Rankin of Chelsea, QC; and his granddaughter Caitlin Parkinson of Halifax, NS.
Ken’s spirit will live on through the memories of his family and all who knew him. His stories, laughter, and legacy will remain with us forever.
It is with love and gratitude we raise a glass, put on some Glenn Miller, and toast the man who claimed to be “the luckiest man on Earth.”
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