Stephen Frederick Parks – 50th Reunion Essay

Stephen Frederick Parks

Date of Death: 13-Apr-2008

College: Jonathan Edwards

(This memorial appeared in the Class Notes July/August 2008.)

Stephen F. Parks died in April 2008 as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He is survived by his wife, Louise, whom he met in Austin three years after Yale, and two daughters. Steve was a long-time resident of Austin, Texas, where he served seven years as technical director of the Austin Lyric Opera. He was also a board member of the Austin Ballet Theater. His life was the theater and his family.

Sam Weisman writes: We got to know each other late in our Yale career, through the Dramat. But then in 1970, we worked together at a summer theater in Maine, the Brunswick Music Theatre. Steve was one of the technical directors, and I was a clueless general manager, a job that was handed off to me by our classmate, David Johnson. We had a great many laughs that summer, and Steve may have been one of my earliest mentors in the entertainment business. At our 35th reunion, I saw him for the first time since that summer, and he was the same witty guy, with the same beard and smile. It was a joy to see him again. He will be missed.

Andy Schnier writes: Steve was one of the nicest people I met at Yale. Always smiling. A kind soul whom it was always nice to be around.

John Gazzoli writes: Steve had one of the sharpest wits in our class. Wonderful guy whose sense of humor will be sorely missed by all of his many friends.

And from John Nelson: Steve seemed to always have that impish smile on his face, an easy laugh, sometimes caustic wit. He loved the theater, which he taught at the University of Texas for many years. He was smart as a whip, very funny, a fabulous friend, teacher, colleague, husband, father, son, and brother to his two elder sisters, who have been a comfort to Louise in Austin. Amazingly, his mom died just weeks ago, following a bout with dementia, though no illness could dent her powerful kindness and gentle way. His dad had passed away many years ago, and his mom remarried a filmmaker, also from their circle of friends in Rochester, with whom Steve bonded pretty easily. I am hopeful that anyone who knew Steve from either Directed Studies of our class or the Dramat will please forward news of his passing to fellow DSers of our class or other Dramat classes during our time at Yale (especially ’67, ’68, ’70, ’71). He really loved the theater. And dancing to the Beatles.