Remembrance ceremony at Ron Parker Park

Thursday, January 12, Deputy Marshal Ronald Alfred Parker will be remembered during an 11:00 a.m. ceremony at Ron Parker Park; located at the corner of Pope Road and Old Beach road in St Augustine Beach.

Parker was killed on Sunday, January 12, 1975, at the age of 27, while he was attempting to locate the operator of an unoccupied vehicle that jumped the curb at the St Augustine Beach Pier parking lot.

The annual event not only pays tribute to Parker, but also salutes all law enforcement personnel in the area.

Archbishop Douglas S. Woodall, Sr., currently a member of the St. Augustine Beach Police Department and former reserve deputy sheriff who knew Parker in life, will speak at Thursday’s ceremony.

Thomas E. DeSherlia was convicted in St Johns County for Parker’s murder; only three months after the shooting. DeSherlia is now serving a “life sentence” at Union Correctional Institution. His next parole hearing will be in April 2013.

Brenda, Parker’s widow who now lives in Georgia, plans to attend the ceremony and reminds Historic City News readers that a Memorial Scholarship was established in 2008 at Flagler College in remembrance of the sacrifice Parker made for the community.

The scholarship was created for firefighters, emergency medical, law enforcement and other public administration personnel enrolled in the public administration program at Flagler College; the college’s pre-law program or those pursuing a minor in criminology.

“It is my hope to ensure the life of the scholarship for generations to come,” Brenda told reporters. Individuals are invited to send donations to Flagler College-Parker Scholarship, Flagler College Office of Institutional Advancement, 74 King St., St Augustine, FL 32084.