He was also cherished by friends and relatives. Credit: The photo below is courtesy of the author. Mariner 2, a NASA spacecraft en route to Venus. Eugene Parker, the pioneering astrophysicist whose name graces NASA's Parker Solar Probe mission, died Tuesday (March 15) at age 94. OBITUARY Eugene M Parker November 20, 1929 - October 29, 2022. It is only fitting that Genes name is quite literally written in our star, the sun, and in the physics that describe stars.. Gene did discover that his father had two children from a first marriage. It will be my honor, Dr. Zurbuchen recalled. Gene always wanted to play a musical instrument. His was a life lived with dignity, resilient faith and strong Christian values, always on display. A cremation for Robert will be held Friday, February 19, 2021 at 12:00 AM. He joined the St. Andrews Society band. He married his childhood sweetheart, Bobbie Hill Parker, and they were happily married for 57 years. If you do something new or innovative, expect trouble. However, it is remarkable that his theory was largely ignored until 1962, when Mariner 2 observed the supersonic solar wind and Parker was vindicated. By Eugene N. Parker, the astrophysicist who predicted the existence of the solar wind, a continuous outpouring of charged particles traveling from the sun at a million miles per hour, died on Tuesday at his home in Chicago. The unquestioned founder and a legendary figure in the field of Heliophysics and Plasma Astrophysics, Eugene Parker, died on March 15th in Chicago, Illinois, at the venerable age of 94. His death was announced by the University of Chicago, where he had been a professor for decades. Sign up for service and obituary updates. California Residents: California FD #1289, #1309, #1359, #2031 Gene was born May 8, 1952 to Betty June and Harry J. Parker of St. Joseph. He authored four books: Interplanetary Dynamical Processes (1963), Cosmical Magnetic Fields: Their Origin and Their Activity (1979), Spontaneous Current Sheets in Magnetic Fields, with Applications to Stellar X-rays (1994), and Conversations on Electric and Magnetic Fields in the Cosmos (2007). Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. One of the remaining mysteries of the sun is why its outer atmosphere is so hot. "His name is littered across astrophysics: the Parker instability, which describes magnetic fields in galaxies; the Parker equation, which describes particles moving through plasmas; the Sweet-Parker model of magnetic fields in plasmas; and the Parker limit on the flux of magnetic monopoles," the university wrote of Parker. He was the Eugene Ernie Parker, Jr., 60, of Parsonsburg passed away Friday, January 28, 2022 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. We are sad to announce that on March 3, 2023, at the age of 78, Woodrow Eugene Edwards of Elkview, West Virginia passed away. He retired from the University in 1995 but remained active in the field, publishing articles and books. With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Eugene Parker of Ocean City, Maryland, born in Selbyville, Delaware, who passed away on November 24, 2020 at the age of 81. He was born in Jackson, MI on July 31, 1937, to Loy and Goldie Parker. All rights reserved. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. The surface of the sun is 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Eugene and Ruthie made their home in Sioux Falls, SD. In 1955, Parker joined the University of Chicago, where he contributed to astrophysics for another 67 years, according to the university's statement (opens in new tab). Eugene Parker, the pioneering astrophysicist whose name graces NASA's Parker Solar Probe mission, died Tuesday (March 15) at age 94. In August 2018, at the age of 91, he became the first person to witness the launch of their namesake spacecraft. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, He was a retired electrician and member of the IBEW Keith Eugene Parker, 61, passed away Thursday, November 10, 2022 following a brief illness. Keith Eugene Parker, 61, passed away Thursday, November 10, 2022 following a brief illness. Eugene Claire Parker was born January 8th, 1936 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Thomas Eugene Parker, age 68, of Norman, Oklahoma passed away on Saturday, February 11, 2023. The observational verification of the solar wind theory (1958) is a unique example in astrophysics, due to its immediate and brief confirmation by observations (1962). Danny Eugene Allen, age 67, Carterville, Missouri passed away on Sunday, February 26, 2023 at his home after a sudden illness. He was the first born of Eugene and Hazel Marie (Anderson) Parker. Eugene Parkers contributions to science and to understanding how our universe works touches so much of what we do here at NASA, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. I only saw him cry twice. Eugene is survived by his sons, David (Nancy) Parker, Ronald (Sherry) Parker, and George (Dana Conde) Parker; grandchildren, Katie (Corey Ott) Parker, Ryan Parker, Kristina Parker, Nicholas Parker, Sabrina Parker, and Samantha Parker; and great-granddaughter, Blakely Ott, all from California. Here's everything we know, Richardson sets QB mark for vertical, broad jump, QB Young 5-10 1/8, 204 pounds at NFL combine, Sources: Patriots tell QB Hoyer he's being cut, Horns' Robinson: Versatility worthy of early pick, Jones: Not fixated on Cowboys' drought, just '23, Sources: Raiders plan franchise tag for Jacobs, WR Addison to Steelers' Pickett: 'Come get me', Wolverines' Turner wows with 4.26 40 at combine, Everything you need to know about Geno Smith's contract negotiations. Eugene N. Parker, 94, Dies; Predicted the Existence of Solar Wind, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/17/science/space/eugene-n-parker-dead.html, Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune, via Associated Press. When Dr. Zurbuchen joined NASA in 2016, the agency had been working for years on a mission called Solar Probe Plus, which was to swoop close to the sun repeatedly. EUGENE PARKER, passed away on Thursday, March 31, 2016. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. in physics from Michigan State University (1948), a Ph.D. in physics from the Caltech (1951), he was an instructor at the Department of Mathematics of the University of Utah (1951-1953), before moving to the University of Chicago (June 1955), promoted to professor (1962) in the Department of Physics and the Enrico Fermi Institute and the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics (1967). Parker is survived by his wife Niesje, to whom he was married for 67 years, as well as brother Phillip; son Eric Glenn Parker (married to Susan) and daughter Joyce Marie Parker (married to Ed); grandchildren Owen Loh (married to Allison), Miles Loh (married to Michelle), and Nolan Loh (fiance Hillary Wang); and great-grandchildren Lena and Elliott. This is in accordance to Parkers saying: If you do something new or innovative, expect trouble. Even though Dr. Parker is no longer with us, his discoveries and legacy will live forever.. Space is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 06/06/1926 - 02/13/2021. Gene often said that was probably the best thing that happened to him and his younger brother, Kenneth. The first theoretical framework of magnetic reconnection was established by Peter Sweet and Eugene Parker (1956). Today, a NASA mission to fly through its outer atmosphere is named after him. He went where the equations led him, said Michael S. Turner, an astrophysicist at the Kavli Foundation in Los Angeles who was a longtime colleague of Dr. Parkers at Chicago. He first worked as an instructor and assistant professor at the University of Utah. He was Mr. Magnetism, Dr. Turner said. There are no events at this time. He leaves his. He said, Absolutely. It was launched the next month. Solar scientist Eugene Parker watched as NASA's Parker Solar Probe, named for him, launched into space from Florida on Aug. 12, 2018. Eugene Parker on first year of namesake NASA mission: its pretty, NASA mission honors pioneering UChicago physicist. Ruthie (Eggers) Parker, age 87 of Sioux Falls, passed away Friday, May 13, 2022. Eugene N. Parker, an astrophysicist who theorized the existence of solar wind and became the first person to witness the launch of a spacecraft bearing his name, died March 15 at a retirement community in Chicago. The calculations showed that the flow started slow near the sun and accelerated to supersonic speeds as it moved away. 5801 S. Ellis Ave., Suite 120, Chicago, IL 60637, Submit your images from UChicago research to 2023 Science as Art contest, John W. Rogers Jr. discusses the importance of socially responsible business practices, UChicago to partner on new Chan Zuckerberg Initiative biomedical research hub, Why Mourning Is Essential to Our Well-Being, with Jonathan Lear (Ep. This flow, called the solar wind, turned out to be incredibly influential on the workings of the solar system, including our lives on Earth. We extend our gratitude to everyone who has reached out with memories, for his colleagues over the years who worked with him to explore a subject which gave him much joy, and for the many people at NASA and the Applied Physics Laboratory who welcomed my father and gave him a profound giftthe chance to see the launch of the Parker Solar Probe, which moved him deeply.. "I will never forget the pleasure he took in exploring a science problem, and his terrific physical insights which were then buttressed by his analytical skills," Rosner added. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.neptunesociety.com/location/denver-cremation for the Parker family. Gene was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Janis Kaye (Gibson) Parker. Sechrest-Davis Funerals and Cremations. Angela V. Olinto, dean of the University of Chicagos physical sciences division, accompanied Dr. Parker to the launch. In 2020, researchers using data from two of NASAs other sun-watching spacecraft reported that they might have observed nanoflares and that they had figured out how the energy could be turned to heat. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. Parkers name is littered across astrophysics and it is almost impossible to describe here all his scientific contributions. He was born in Altoona, son . Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.horisawardfairviewchapel.com for the Donald E. Parker, 80, of Fort Wayne, went to his heavenly home Sunday, December 4, 2022. And they led him to some very interesting phenomena that people hadnt discovered.. Eugene Lawrence Parker Jr., age 91, of Olathe, Kansas passed away on Tuesday, February 15, 2022. Family and friends are welcome to send flowers or leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. They lived pretty much all over greater Kansas City, Kansas, Armourdale, Argentine, and the community of Welborn. Keith Eugene Parker Obituary With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Keith Eugene Parker (High Point, North Carolina), born in Laurens, South Carolina, who passed away on November 10, 2022 at the age of 61. Even though Dr. Chandrasekhar, a future Nobel laureate, disagreed with Dr. Parkers conclusions, he overruled the reviewers, and the paper was published. A memorial service for Thomas will be held Thursday, February 23, 2023 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Tony Eugene Parker, age 53, of Atlanta, Georgia passed away on Thursday, December 29, 2022. These children were Joanne had a younger brother, Kenneth, who passed away in February of 1989. Interment Woodlawn Cemetery, Sioux Falls, SD. 2023 Neptune Society. Prof. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. Donald Eugene Parker Obituary With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Donald Eugene Parker of Duck Hill, Mississippi, who passed away on December 2, 2022. Select boxes below to reduce the number of results. His other Hall of Fame clients include Rod Woodson, Walter Jones and Curtis Martin. The spacecraft uses four instrument suites to study the superheated corona in an attempt to understand where the solar wind originates. It only took a few more years before Parker's proof came through. EUGENE PARKER OBITUARY Parker, Eugene "Gene" A retired plumber and a resident of Baton Rouge, he died at 12:41 a.m. Friday, April 1, 2005, at Baton Rouge General Medical Center-Mid City. The idea was roundly criticized. EAST BROOKFIELD - Eugene M. Parker, 62, died on Sunday, December 6, 2020 at home. At first, almost no one believed his findings on gigantic eruptions from the sun. Eugene Parker, astrophysicist namesake of NASA solar probe, dies at 94, Roger Goodell, Muriel Bowser discussed future of RFK site in December call, Everything you need to know about the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Kyle Kuzma, Wizards start fast and dont look back in win over Raptors, destined to travel straight into the suns crown. Four years later, Dr. Parker was vindicated when Mariner 2, a NASA spacecraft en route to Venus, observed energetic particles streaming through interplanetary space exactly what he had predicted. But Dr. Zurbuchen, who had met Dr. Parker years earlier, said he did not have much trouble getting Robert Lightfoot, the acting administrator of NASA at the time, to approve the change in 2017. It may take up to 1 hour for your comment to appear on the website. Home . Flowers will be accepted or donations in memory of Dr. Larry Parker to Roper Heights Church of Christ in . He read them and he sent notes on them, she said. He is preceded in death by his wife, Ruthie Eggers; parents, Clair and Marjory Parker; sister and brother-in-law, Rod and Delores Vignovich. What will the Buffalo Bills do without defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier? Running through the math, he determined the conditions should produce a supersonic flow of particles off the suns surface. In addition to over 400 scientific papers in journals, Parker published four books which have become landmarks in the field: Interplanetary Dynamical Process (1963), Cosmical Magnetic Fields: Their Origin and their Activity (1979), Spontaneous Current Sheets in Magnetic Fields, with Application to Stellar X-rays (1994) and Conversations on Electric and Magnetic Fields in the Cosmos (2007). Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. We are not authorized to file an initial application for Veterans' Aid and Attendance benefits on your behalf, or to represent you before the Board of Veterans' Appeals within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in any proceeding on any matter, including an application for that benefits. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, and was a fellow of the American Physical Society and a Legacy Fellow of the American Astronomical Society. Robert was born June 6, 1926. The death was confirmed by his son, Eric, who said Dr. Parker had been diagnosed with Parkinsons disease about a decade ago. | All testimonials are written by persons unlicensed and not qualified to make funeral arrangements, embalm or conduct a funeral. Eugene Parker changed the way we see the sun. His eyes literally lit up, said Dr. Fox, who showed Dr. Parker photographs not of the sun itself but of dim particles to the side of the sun the solar wind. The mission named for him seeks to understand the origins of the solar wind within the sun. Eugene H. Parker. The generation and nature of magnetic fields in turbulent fluids, including the hydromagnetic dynamo problem in planetary, solar, stellar and galactic environments were studied by Parker (1955). He grew up in Joplin and graduated from Memorial High School before joining the United States Marines Corp . "The first reviewer on the paper said, 'Well I would suggest that Parker go to the library and read up on the subject before he tries to write a paper about it, because this is utter nonsense.'". His seminal ideas include the origin of magnetic fields, known as dynamo theory; rapid dissipation of magnetic fields; the structure of magnetized shock waves; and the diffusion of high-energy cosmic rays. In conclusion, although Gene Parker is no longer with us, his revolutionary discoveries and legacy will live forever, because his main contributions on Plasma Astrophysics and Heliophysics can be discovered only once. "Anyone who knew Dr. Parker, knew that he was a visionary," Nicola Fox, director of NASA's heliophysics division, said in the agency statement. The so-called Parker theorem (1972), deals with the topology of the lines of the magnetic force, and the non-equilibrium of non-invariant fields along some large scale direction. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. Ocean City - Eugene (Gene) Rayne Parker Jr, age 81, died peacefully in his home on November 24, 2020. With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. Ronald was born on May 20, 1921 in Cumberland County the son of the late Earl 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. Eugene "Butch" Parker Mt. At the dawn of the Space Age in the late fifties, a conceptual revolution in astronomy was the prediction by Parker (1958) that an extremely hot solar corona cannot be confined by solar gravity, but expands supersonically into interplanetary space to fill the whole solar system and affect all planets. The University and the department has lost one of its giants, said Michael Turner, the Bruce V. and Diana M. Rauner Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Astronomy and Astrophysics at UChicago and a colleague of Parkers for decades. He always felt like workaholics were missing out, Eric Parker said. He was 94. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcomand onFacebook. I have never made a significant proposal but what there was a crowd who said, Aint so, cant possibly be, Parker responded. EUGENE PARKER OBITUARY Oct. 18, 1957 - March 7, 2015 Mr. Parker was born in Jacksonville, Florida and was the son of the late Sylvia and Lt. Eugene H. Parker, Sr. New Jersey Residents: N.J. Lic. Where do breakthrough discoveries and ideas come from? His father died in 1970 in California. Eugene enjoyed the game of golf and watched sports during his retirement. Agent Eugene Parker has died after a battle with kidney cancer. Parker's work focused on understanding the sun. Nevertheless, before that his conclusion was roundly criticized. Write your message of sympathy today. I will never forget the pleasure he took in exploring a science problem, and his terrific physical insights which were then buttressed by his analytical skills. Gene was born October 17, 1939, to the union of George O. Parker, Sr., and Katie Mae Lupo Parker and passed away November 2, 2018, in Monroe at St. Francis Hospital surrounded by his family. It blankets the planets, protecting us from harmful radiationbut also occasionally disrupting our communications, in the case of solar flares. The Parker Solar Probes successful launch which Dr. Parker attended at age 91 has since provided unprecedented views of the sun. Get more with UChicago News delivered to your inbox. The continued joy that Gene showed every time I shared new results from the mission with himthe way his eyes lit up at every new image or data plotthat was the true Gene, always striving to learn more about our universe, Fox said. He later tried his wifes ukulele (no luck). EUGENE PARKER OBITUARY. That in turn led to solar physics. In a long series of papers entitled Sunspots and the physics of magnetic flux tubes (1979), with myself contributing two papers, Parker studied the basic properties and interactions of isolated twisted magnetic flux tubes, proposing that sunspots are a conglomeration of isolated flux tubes. At present, this is one of several hypotheses that might explain the superhot corona. There is no photo or video of Eugene Parker.Be the first to share a memory to pay tribute. He found new and novel solutions, Dr. Turner said, and was brilliant at interpreting them.. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Niesje, their two children, three grandsons and two great-grandchildren.