John H. Parks ’48

John H. Parks ’48 died on December 13, 2017, on his farm in Waco, Kentucky, surrounded by family and friends. He grew up in Los Angeles, graduated at the top of his class in high school, and at age 16 entered Dartmouth, where he was a member of the Dartmouth Outing Club, Symphony Orchestra, Marching Band, and Storrs House/Delta Kappa Epsilon. John then attended Harvard Medical School, graduating in 1950. His internship was at Hartford (Connecticut) Hospital, where he met and married his life partner, Elvira. He was a psychiatrist, humanitarian, and spiritual seeker who often eschewed the conventions of his profession for the well-being of his patients and humanity. He sought to build bridges of understanding between people of different cultures, ethnic backgrounds, and religions. A devout Muslim, John explored the depths of consciousness through meditation, prayer, study, and the arts. He is survived by children David and Ann and grandchildren Rebecca and Johnathan. He was preceded in death by Elvira and his second wife, Kathleen.