Join us for an informal family BBQ to celebrate the
start of Summer.
MLA Hannah Bell is wasting no time
jumping in the Finance portfolio, one of her new
Critic portfolios alongside Environment, Energy and Climate Change.
She has picked up the torch to call for PEI to join other provinces in
making our tax system more progressive and fair by introducing a new
tax bracket on the province's highest income earners.
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| Ed Parker with Lynne Lund, many of whose campaigns he enthusiastically supported over the years. |
Last month, we were saddened by the loss of Ed Parker, a beloved and active Green Party member & volunteer. Ed first got involved with the Green Party of PEI during the 2015 provincial election. He then joined our Provincial Council and has been involved in almost every Green campaign on the Island since. Ed was a joyful person to be around - as many of us reminisced about Ed, many remembered that Ed was one of the first people they met in the Green Party, and how welcome he made them feel at party events. We will miss him a lot!
To help you get to know more about the kind of person Ed was, we have copied his full obituary below:
Edgar W. Parker, of Summerside, PEI, passed away peacefully, at the age of 83, at Prince County Hospital on May 12, 2021 after a brief illness. Born in Hampshire, on March 30, 1938, he was the first child of the late Henry William Parker, and Gladys Emma (Easter) Parker. His brothers Donald, Allan, Lloyd, and Harold, and sisters Phyllis MacLeod - deceased (Roddie), Peggy Rolfe (Breck), and Dorothy Ann DeWolfe (Normand) contributed to a rich and colourful family dynamic; they were, and continue to be, some of the strongest and most loyal people to be found.
Ed was married to his high-school sweetheart, Gertrude (Gamble), for more than 64 years. He was fiercely devoted to her; she was the true love of his life. And as her life changed, and she began to struggle with caring for herself, he assumed that job for her without hesitation or resentment. She survives him, as do their five devoted and heartbroken children; Ron, Penny Wareham (Dave), Tim (Lizz), Pam, and Cindy.
Ed loved his family dearly, and his grandchildren Emily, Parker, Nick, Sam, Nathan, and Isaac were a source of pride and joy. Nicholas Herring was also a happy, recent addition to Ed’s life. And there were great grandchildren too! Abigail, Stella, Charlotte, and Theodore- he loved these kids so much and he genuinely enjoyed their visits with Brampy.
Ed believed in giving his best to any and every job or task he undertook. As a young man, he worked at a butter factory, and despite initiating a lifelong addiction to butter, that job, along with working on the family farm, taught him the meaning of hard work. Over the years, his work ethic allowed him to move up through the ranks of a few companies, until he eventually obtained an executive position with Shoppers Drug Mart. He remained with the company for three decades, until he retired.
Outside of his professional life, he had numerous interests and hobbies. At Thanksgiving and Christmas, he dutifully stuffed the family turkey, and could be counted on to take a nap in the middle of the living room floor amidst the family chaos. King of the corny joke, Ed loved to make people laugh. He had a gift for making people feel special, just by being in his company. His hugs were internationally known, and distributed freely and easily. He loved to travel, and in addition to traveling to various parts of the globe, spent many a winter in San Diego, where he made numerous lifelong friends. He was an avid golfer, a skiing enthusiast, a gardener, a handyman, a fantastic whistler, and a talented singer (especially in the shower). He devoured books, and instilled the love of reading in all of his children. He made the world’s best burgers, and was well-versed in a variety of home-cooked breakfast options. A lover of animals, he ensured that the bird feeder was always full and the bird bath was always clean. Many lucky squirrels were treated to a drive in the truck as they were relocated to a new home, far from his back deck.
In his later years, he became a passionate member of the Green Party, and volunteered for them on a regular basis. His life was full and rich to the very last day. He lived every day with vigour, humility, and positivity. Simply put, there was no one like him.
The family will hold a memorial service when it is possible to allow his many friends and loved ones to celebrate this great man, without the restrictions of the current pandemic. If you would like to be notified when and where the memorial service will be held, or to offer a testament to Ed and his life, please email [email protected] In the meantime, if you desire to honour Ed’s memory, Canadians can make contributions to the Green Party in your province of residence, or to the Green Party of Canada. Otherwise please consider a contribution to Ducks Unlimited, another cause Ed supported for many years.
