Local artist, SEMO Museum catalyst James Parker dies at 93

The Cape Girardeau arts community lost a leading patron this week in James Parker, an accomplished multimedia artist and Otto F. Dingeldein award winner, who died at 93.

Parker was the driving force behind the creation of the SEMO University Museum, which later became the Crisp Museum at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus.

"It was my job to get it started off, and they've done a beautiful job ever since," he told the Southeast Missourian in 2015.

James V. Parker, employed by Southeast Missouri State University last month as a consultant for establishing a permanent campus museum, is seen cataloguing ancient pottery April 16, 1976. So far, he has identified more than 1,400 objects. Mr. Parker returned to Cape Girardeau from Phoenix, where he was associated with a museum.Southeast Missourian file

Born in Senath, Missouri, he graduated from Cape Girardeau Central High School in 1942, served with the 351st Infantry in Italy during World War II and served as curator of education at the Heard Museum of Anthropology and Primitive Arts in Phoenix before returning to Cape Girardeau.

Current Crisp Museum manager James Phillips said Parker's love of art, and especially of Native American artifacts, can still be seen in the museum's offerings.

"He was very passionate, very energetic and very moved by the arts. That was evident through his years as the director here," Phillips said. "That little part will always be here and will always be shown."

Phillips said some of Parker's work is also part of the museum's catalogue.

Rhonda Weller-Stilson, dean of the Holland College of Arts and Media and Parker's neighbor, said Parker was an invaluable, if exacting, collaborator.

"He was wonderful. He would ask a lot of questions and expect detailed answers," she said. "And if he didn't like something, he told us, but his heart was always about helping us at the Conservatory."

Kenn Stilson, professor of theater at Southeast, said Parker's generosity helped many students pursue their artistic and professional goals.

"He was one of our most staunch supporters of the university and of the Conservatory of Theatre and Dance and our students," Stilson said. "Over the years, he donated thousands and thousands of dollars in artwork to help our students."

Parker enjoyed a variety of art forms, including watercolor painting, stitching and designing murals. His work can be seen downtown at the corner of Spanish and Independence streets, on the side of Ebb and Flow Fermentations. He also designed the patch used by the Cape Girardeau Police Department for decades.

His great-niece, Angie Grissom, said he remained a prolific artist even in his retirement.

"He did meticulous work, and that skill never left him. He was still sharp as a tack all the way through," she said. "He never stopped. We continued to take him to Hobby Lobby so he could continue to do art and do what he loved."

Such was Parker's stated intent when he turned 90, as he told the Southeast Missourian.

"That's what it's all about -- the students," he said. "I'll continue to do this as long as I can."

tgraef@semissourian.com

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