Dennis Parker obituary: Dennis Parker's Obituary, Dayton
In Memory Of
Dennis A. Parker
1941 - 2020
In Memory Of
Dennis A. Parker
1941 - 2020
Dennis A. Parker, age 78 of Dayton, Ohio (formerly of Columbus) passed away on July 30, 2020 after a short illness. He was born on September 27, 1941 in Port Huron, Michigan to the late Margaret and Leonard Parker Sr. Dennis was an Emeritus Professor of Theatre at The Ohio State University where he was an Associate Professor and Resident Costume Designer for eighteen years. His thirty-four years of teaching experience included positions at Eastern Michigan University, Boston University School of Theatre, Mount Holyoke College, and The University of Maryland at College Park. He earned a B.S. Degree in Design from The College of Architecture and Design at The University of Michigan and an M.F.A. Degree in Theatre Design also from the University of Michigan. Dennis was a member of The United Scenic Artists of America, Local 829, the professional costume design union, The United States Institute for Theatre Technology, and The Costume Society of America.
During his career, Dennis designed the costumes for ninety-two academic and professional theatre productions. His design work was selected for display in numerous state and national exhibitions. Internationally his work was exhibited at the 1987 Prague Quadrennial International Scenography Exhibition and in 1988 his designs were used as the program cover for an exhibition which toured Australia entitled, Theatre in America. He has costume sketches in the collections of the London Theatre Museum and The Lawrence and Lee Theatre Institute.
Dennis was the recipient of seven United States Institute of Theatre Technology Ohio Valley Section Peggy Ezekiel Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design. He was the first recipient of The Fred and Howard Artist of the Year Award at CATCO Theatre 2001-2002 for the importance of Being Earnest. Upon retirement in 2003 he was honored with the USITT/Ohio Valley Section Career Service Award and a Life Time Achievement Award from The Central Ohio Theatre Critics Circle, as well as The Harold Award from The Central Ohio Theatre Roundtable.
Dennis was particularly proud of the number of his students who went on to successful careers in the theatre. He remained in contact with many of them throughout his life.
He will be dearly missed by his surviving two sisters: Marilyn (Larry) McDougall and Linda (Ed) Kidder and two sisters-in-law: Eleanor (the late Leonard Parker Jr.) and Beverly (the late Robert Parker) and several nieces and nephews, friends and former students. He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Joyce Powell and four brothers, Leonard Parker Jr., Robert, James and Tom Parker.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Theatre Development Fund at the Ohio State University, www.giveto.osu.edu or OSU Dept. of Theatre, 1089 Drake P&E Center, 1849 Cannon Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43210.
A celebration of Dennis’s life will be held at a future date.
During his career, Dennis designed the costumes for ninety-two academic and professional theatre productions. His design work was selected for display in numerous state and national exhibitions. Internationally his work was exhibited at the 1987 Prague Quadrennial International Scenography Exhibition and in 1988 his designs were used as the program cover for an exhibition which toured Australia entitled, Theatre in America. He has costume sketches in the collections of the London Theatre Museum and The Lawrence and Lee Theatre Institute.
Dennis was the recipient of seven United States Institute of Theatre Technology Ohio Valley Section Peggy Ezekiel Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design. He was the first recipient of The Fred and Howard Artist of the Year Award at CATCO Theatre 2001-2002 for the importance of Being Earnest. Upon retirement in 2003 he was honored with the USITT/Ohio Valley Section Career Service Award and a Life Time Achievement Award from The Central Ohio Theatre Critics Circle, as well as The Harold Award from The Central Ohio Theatre Roundtable.
Dennis was particularly proud of the number of his students who went on to successful careers in the theatre. He remained in contact with many of them throughout his life.
He will be dearly missed by his surviving two sisters: Marilyn (Larry) McDougall and Linda (Ed) Kidder and two sisters-in-law: Eleanor (the late Leonard Parker Jr.) and Beverly (the late Robert Parker) and several nieces and nephews, friends and former students. He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Joyce Powell and four brothers, Leonard Parker Jr., Robert, James and Tom Parker.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Theatre Development Fund at the Ohio State University, www.giveto.osu.edu or OSU Dept. of Theatre, 1089 Drake P&E Center, 1849 Cannon Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43210.
A celebration of Dennis’s life will be held at a future date.
Dennis A. Parker, age 78 of Dayton, Ohio (formerly of Columbus) passed away on July 30, 2020 after a short illness. He was born on September 27, 1941 in Port Huron, Michigan to the late Margaret and Leonard Parker Sr. Dennis was an Emeritus Professor of Theatre at The Ohio State University where he was an Associate Professor and Resident Costume Designer for eighteen years. His thirty-four years of teaching experience included positions at Eastern Michigan University, Boston University School of Theatre, Mount Holyoke College, and The University of Maryland at College Park. He earned a B.S. Degree in Design from The College of Architecture and Design at The University of Michigan and an M.F.A. Degree in Theatre Design also from the University of Michigan. Dennis was a member of The United Scenic Artists of America, Local 829, the professional costume design union, The United States Institute for Theatre Technology, and The Costume Society of America.
During his career, Dennis designed the costumes for ninety-two academic and professional theatre productions. His design work was selected for display in numerous state and national exhibitions. Internationally his work was exhibited at the 1987 Prague Quadrennial International Scenography Exhibition and in 1988 his designs were used as the program cover for an exhibition which toured Australia entitled, Theatre in America. He has costume sketches in the collections of the London Theatre Museum and The Lawrence and Lee Theatre Institute.
Dennis was the recipient of seven United States Institute of Theatre Technology Ohio Valley Section Peggy Ezekiel Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design. He was the first recipient of The Fred and Howard Artist of the Year Award at CATCO Theatre 2001-2002 for the importance of Being Earnest. Upon retirement in 2003 he was honored with the USITT/Ohio Valley Section Career Service Award and a Life Time Achievement Award from The Central Ohio Theatre Critics Circle, as well as The Harold Award from The Central Ohio Theatre Roundtable.
Dennis was particularly proud of the number of his students who went on to successful careers in the theatre. He remained in contact with many of them throughout his life.
He will be dearly missed by his surviving two sisters: Marilyn (Larry) McDougall and Linda (Ed) Kidder and two sisters-in-law: Eleanor (the late Leonard Parker Jr.) and Beverly (the late Robert Parker) and several nieces and nephews, friends and former students. He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Joyce Powell and four brothers, Leonard Parker Jr., Robert, James and Tom Parker.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Theatre Development Fund at the Ohio State University, www.giveto.osu.edu or OSU Dept. of Theatre, 1089 Drake P&E Center, 1849 Cannon Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43210.
A celebration of Dennis’s life will be held at a future date.
During his career, Dennis designed the costumes for ninety-two academic and professional theatre productions. His design work was selected for display in numerous state and national exhibitions. Internationally his work was exhibited at the 1987 Prague Quadrennial International Scenography Exhibition and in 1988 his designs were used as the program cover for an exhibition which toured Australia entitled, Theatre in America. He has costume sketches in the collections of the London Theatre Museum and The Lawrence and Lee Theatre Institute.
Dennis was the recipient of seven United States Institute of Theatre Technology Ohio Valley Section Peggy Ezekiel Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design. He was the first recipient of The Fred and Howard Artist of the Year Award at CATCO Theatre 2001-2002 for the importance of Being Earnest. Upon retirement in 2003 he was honored with the USITT/Ohio Valley Section Career Service Award and a Life Time Achievement Award from The Central Ohio Theatre Critics Circle, as well as The Harold Award from The Central Ohio Theatre Roundtable.
Dennis was particularly proud of the number of his students who went on to successful careers in the theatre. He remained in contact with many of them throughout his life.
He will be dearly missed by his surviving two sisters: Marilyn (Larry) McDougall and Linda (Ed) Kidder and two sisters-in-law: Eleanor (the late Leonard Parker Jr.) and Beverly (the late Robert Parker) and several nieces and nephews, friends and former students. He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Joyce Powell and four brothers, Leonard Parker Jr., Robert, James and Tom Parker.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Theatre Development Fund at the Ohio State University, www.giveto.osu.edu or OSU Dept. of Theatre, 1089 Drake P&E Center, 1849 Cannon Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43210.
A celebration of Dennis’s life will be held at a future date.