Obituary for Justin A. Parker
Justin Anthony Parker, 30, of Middletown, DE passed away peacefully on Wednesday, May 26, 2021 after a lifelong battle with kidney disease and a 4 year battle with heart failure. Justin’s medical problems were extensive and overwhelming but he met them with a courage, determination, and fighting spirit that left those around him trying to understand just how he could still be so happy and still get so much enjoyment out of life. Justin strived everyday to live a normal, carefree life no matter how many obstacles his illness threw his way. His battles with kidney and heart failure limited him to various part time jobs but he dreamed of someday going to culinary school and becoming a professional chef. Justin loved to help others and this motivation to help others was going to help him reach his dream by working full time as a phlebotomist after getting a heart/kidney transplant. To make this happen, Justin successfully graduated from a phlebotomy certification program and became a certified phlebotomist in December 2018. Even as his heart failure rapidly progressed over the last few months and his dream seemed further and further away, Justin never stopped talking about his goals and never gave up on his dream.
The 3 things that Justin was the most passionate about were sports, music and food. Everyday of his life was filled with an overabundance of all three. He ate like every meal was his last, cooked without restraint, and dreamed of sharing with others the joy he found in food through a career as a professional chef. He spent hours and hours listening to all types of music, especially his favorite band Disturbed. Almost every waking moment of Justin’s days involved sports: talking sports; playing Madden or MLB The Show; trash talking with his mom, sisters and family about the Eagles, Giants, Yankees and Phillies; watching Olympic curling and attending MLB games with his dad; watching the Flyers, 76ers, Atlanta Braves or his beloved Green Bay Packers. As a kid, he played organized baseball from the time he was 5 until high school. His other interests included video games, movies & TV, shooting pool, playing cards and board games and spending time with his nieces and nephews.
As his heart became weaker over the last few months Justin was very clear about what he wanted and how he wanted to be remembered. He wanted everyone to know the following… “I was a huge pothead. I loved sports. I was a person of growth. I loved food & Food Network. I want to give my love to the black community.”
The family would like to acknowledge and say a special thank you to Dr. Mark Glassner, Dr. Sourin Banerji, Dr. Carlos Machado, Dr. Joyce Wald, Dr. Irene Restaino and all the medical professionals at University of Pennsylvania Hospital, Christiana Care, Fresenius/Brandywine Home Therapies and AI Dupont Children’s Hospital. All of these people gave us strength, hope, support, truth and love through 30 years of joys, struggles, victories, and setbacks. They have truly been a part of Justin’s family and always will be.
Left to cherish his memory are his dad, Larry; mom, Kim; sisters, Danielle, and her wife, Tay, and Ashley; nieces, Bri and Naomi; nephews, Rhys and Cam; grandparents, Rod and Mary Anne Wilson; and countless family and friends that have loved and supported Justin throughout his life.
A visitation and service will be held from 12:00pm to 2:00pm on Wednesday, June 2 at Krienen-Griffith Funeral Home, 1400 Kirkwood Hwy Elsmere DE. The service for Justin will begin at 2:00pm. Immediately following the service, family and friends will be gathering at Lums Pond State Park Pavilion Area 4 for “A Celebration of Life”. Food and drinks will be provided and all are welcome.
To honor Justin’s deep passion and love for sports and music, the family encourages those attending the service to wear their favorite sports team’s attire or a concert t-shirt.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating via this link https://gofund.me/4d8389f8 to assist the family with funeral expenses. All amounts donated over the funeral costs will be donated in Justin’s name to the American Heart Association, National Kidney Foundation and cancer research.
The 3 things that Justin was the most passionate about were sports, music and food. Everyday of his life was filled with an overabundance of all three. He ate like every meal was his last, cooked without restraint, and dreamed of sharing with others the joy he found in food through a career as a professional chef. He spent hours and hours listening to all types of music, especially his favorite band Disturbed. Almost every waking moment of Justin’s days involved sports: talking sports; playing Madden or MLB The Show; trash talking with his mom, sisters and family about the Eagles, Giants, Yankees and Phillies; watching Olympic curling and attending MLB games with his dad; watching the Flyers, 76ers, Atlanta Braves or his beloved Green Bay Packers. As a kid, he played organized baseball from the time he was 5 until high school. His other interests included video games, movies & TV, shooting pool, playing cards and board games and spending time with his nieces and nephews.
As his heart became weaker over the last few months Justin was very clear about what he wanted and how he wanted to be remembered. He wanted everyone to know the following… “I was a huge pothead. I loved sports. I was a person of growth. I loved food & Food Network. I want to give my love to the black community.”
The family would like to acknowledge and say a special thank you to Dr. Mark Glassner, Dr. Sourin Banerji, Dr. Carlos Machado, Dr. Joyce Wald, Dr. Irene Restaino and all the medical professionals at University of Pennsylvania Hospital, Christiana Care, Fresenius/Brandywine Home Therapies and AI Dupont Children’s Hospital. All of these people gave us strength, hope, support, truth and love through 30 years of joys, struggles, victories, and setbacks. They have truly been a part of Justin’s family and always will be.
Left to cherish his memory are his dad, Larry; mom, Kim; sisters, Danielle, and her wife, Tay, and Ashley; nieces, Bri and Naomi; nephews, Rhys and Cam; grandparents, Rod and Mary Anne Wilson; and countless family and friends that have loved and supported Justin throughout his life.
A visitation and service will be held from 12:00pm to 2:00pm on Wednesday, June 2 at Krienen-Griffith Funeral Home, 1400 Kirkwood Hwy Elsmere DE. The service for Justin will begin at 2:00pm. Immediately following the service, family and friends will be gathering at Lums Pond State Park Pavilion Area 4 for “A Celebration of Life”. Food and drinks will be provided and all are welcome.
To honor Justin’s deep passion and love for sports and music, the family encourages those attending the service to wear their favorite sports team’s attire or a concert t-shirt.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating via this link https://gofund.me/4d8389f8 to assist the family with funeral expenses. All amounts donated over the funeral costs will be donated in Justin’s name to the American Heart Association, National Kidney Foundation and cancer research.