Thomas Campbell Parker's Obituary
Thomas Campbell Parker
December 3, 1991-October 2, 2015
Tom Parker passed away October 2, 2015 at the age of 23. In recent years he had been dealing with bipolar disorder and the difficulties that illness brings. His strength and resilience were inspiring to those who knew what a challenging health situation he had been coping with for so long.
Tom will be remembered and cherished for his joyful sense of humor, his boundless energy, his creativity, his generosity and his kind heart and empathetic nature. He was a loyal, affectionate and sensitive young man who made his loved ones feel deeply cared for.
Tom was happiest when outdoors and in motion. He loved conquering steep hills on his bike, skateboard and snowboard. A 2010 graduate of Piedmont High School, he enjoyed being on the track team and the golf team. His senior year he joined the football team, just to try a new challenge. He was an enthusiastic member of Piedmont Boy Scout Troop 4 who loved backpacking and camping. He raced with the Oakland Sea Wolves Youth Sailing Team throughout high school and worked for several years as a boating and sailing instructor at the Lake Merritt Boating Center. He also found great pleasure in music and composing songs on his guitar. Despite the fact that sitting in a classroom wasn’t one of Tom’s preferred pastimes, he was an excellent student with a lively and original mind.
He will be forever loved and missed by his parents Keith and Kathy, his brother James and his many relatives, including Scott, Mara Lee, Grace and Andrew Parker of Piedmont; Ann, Craig, Erin and Brian Thomas of Moraga; Karen Campbell of Carmel and Sue and Carl Imperato of Hanalei, HI.
Interment will be at Mountain View Cemetery. Plans for a gathering to honor Tom’s memory haven’t been finalized yet. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Wellness Center at Piedmont High School or NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) or the charity of your choice.
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