John B. Parkes, Jr., known as Jack, was the oldest child of John and Loretta Parkes. Jack suffered from severe asthma throughout his life, especially during childhood. Despite these challenges, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He graduated from Boston University in 1952 and received his master's degree in 1953. His health issues remained a dominant factor in his life, causing him to eventually have a lung removed. He recuperated at a VA hospital in Massachusetts.
Jack married Mary Breen of Dorchester in 1949. They had a son named Peter in 1954 who sadly lived for only one day. Mary passed away six months later in September of 1954. Jack continued to live in Quincy, MA and in North Easton for many years, and married Joan Eleanor Rigby, Quincy School System Principal, in December 1955. They moved to California in 1974. Jack was employed as a training manager for Beckman Instruments in Fullerton.
He was a member of the Easton Council No. 238, Knights of Columbus, past president of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Society for Training and Development, a member of the Instrument Society of America - Orange County Chapter, and the California Society of Professional Engineers.
Jack died on August 22, 1980 in California at the age of 56. Joan passed away on November 15, 2003.
They are buried with other family members in St. Joseph Cemetery in West Roxbury, MA.
