Burton S. Parker

A retired registered professional engineer, passed away Monday, September 23, 2013 in Onset, MA. He was 92 years old. A beloved father and grandfather, he is survived by his daughter, Dr. Donna Parker, an epidemiologist, his son, Dean, an executive recruiter and his wife Renee, grandsons, Sgt. Jason Parker, a veteran of the Afganistan campaign, Ethan Parker, a counselor, and Burton’s great-granddaughter, Kayla Marie Parker. He graduated from Northeastern University with a BS in mechanical engineering. He also attended graduate schools At MIT and UNH. During WWII as a naval officer, lieutenant (jg), he served as an aviation ordinance specialist. After the war, he was employed as a mechanical engineer at the following organizations: L.N. Barry Co, Cambridge, MA, shock and vibration specialists, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard serving as head of the shock, vibration and noise group, at the Watertown Arsenal Laboratories, and the Army Materials and Mechanics Laboratories where he was heavily involved in stress analysis problems involving Army material and developing more techniques for the stress analysis of composite materials. He also was an instructor during the evenings in the mechanical engineering department of Lincoln College, Northeastern University. Following retirement, he spent winters in Delray Beach, FL and became an instructor in the Palm Beach County evening education program for seniors, teaching computer fundamentals. His summers were spent on the Cape Cod at the beautiful seaside victorian village of Onset Bay.  As the only observant Jewish couple residing in Onset during the week, he and his wife took over the operation of the local seasonal traditional Orthodox synagogue, attracting religious families from all over the USA to vacation in Onset and daven at the synagogue. He served as president of the congregation for approximately 25 years He was also a member of Company A, the prestigious men’s fraternal club located in Boca Raton, FL. Donations to the South Coastal Hospice Group, Fairhaven, MA in his memory are welcome. Graveside services will be held at the Chevra Thilim Cemetery, 232 Fuller St., Everett, on Wednesday, September 25 at 1:00 PM.