Posted Oct. 17 - Renée and I had the honor of representing the Manchester family at the memorial service for Parker Marden, Manchester’s 13^th president. Parker was remembered by family and friends as generous, funny, intellectually engaged and a mentor. I knew and experienced him in all of those ways.

Our son, Sam, experienced the intersection of Parker’s humor and generosity. During the years when Steve Alford’s basketball teams regularly filled the PERC, Sam, then in late elementary school, would come into the stands looking for his parents for money for concessions. Renée and I were always seated halfway down a tightly packed row of fans, with Parker and Ann seated on the aisle where Sam would stand with a pleading look on his face. Parker, an excellent actor, would look at Sam, look down the row at us, look at Sam again, and then – with a weary shake of his head – pull out his wallet and give Sam a dollar. Neither could help but smile after the exchange, Sam in gratitude for the dollar and Parker for the chance to act out the game, over and over.

Parker Marden lived a good life, well worth celebrating, and he will be missed.