Douglas A. Parker
September 30, 1949 ~ May 21, 2015
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Douglas A. Parker passed away peacefully into the arms of his Heavenly Father on May 21, 2015. Doug was born on September 30, 1949 in Granville, New York. The family left their dairy farm in New York and moved to Tucson in 1960. Doug graduated from Tucson High School and the University of Arizona.
With his conservative background in finance and his entrepreneurial skills, Doug was a strong proponent of chasing the "American dream." He was a business visionary. He partnered with a friend and founded Trail Dust Steak Houses, Inc. in 1973. Trail Dust was his passion. With the help of his brothers and father, the concept grew to nine restaurants in Texas and Colorado and was a successful family business for 42 years. Doug also enjoyed mentoring others and helping them realize their business dreams.
Doug was preceded in death by his parents, Nathaniel and Ellen Parker, and sister, Nancy Parker Martin. He was dearly loved and will be greatly missed by his wife Kathy, "the love of his life;" his children, Douglas, Jr. (Lacy), Brandon (Lauren), Michael "Cody," and Jennifer (Ben Sheen); his three grandchildren, Sage, Zane, and Austin; his brothers, Nathaniel III (Kathy) and Richard (Laura); his brother-in-law, Matthew Martin, and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family thanks the Carondelet Hospice staff and Peppi's House for their exceptional care of Doug during his courageous battle with cancer. A Celebration of Life for Doug will take place at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, 2015 at Catalina Foothills Church, 2150 E. Orange Grove Road, in Tucson. Doug will be laid to rest in Dallas, Texas. Arrangements by Desert Rose Heather Funeral Home.
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tucson/obituary.aspx?n=douglas-a-parker&pid=174977970&fhid=2525
Becky Scanlon (Needham)
Doug and I stayed in touch after high school. I got to see him shortly after he opened the first Traildust Steakhouse. It's a funny story = the building they bought was previously a bar. It looked like a big red barn, if memory serves me. What they didn't know when they bought this good deal for their exciting new adventure, was that it had a reputation for being a rough establishment. There had been bar fight and a person was killed!! Talk about starting a new business and having to overcome that challenges! If anyone could do it, Doug could. He had lots of vision and wasn't afraid tackle his dreams. Although our contact with each other was minimal throughout the years, we were always happy to get caught up on our family news and daily life. I still miss Doug and his hearty laugh.
Ruben Greenberg
Doug was the nicest guy in the world. Already 50 years ago, as a youngster, he had serious medical issues, but he faced them with courage and optimism and never lost his friendliness and good cheer. Till we meet again, Doug...