Coach, mentor and community activist Tommy Parker was honored with a proclamation for his contributions to Princeton at the Princeton Council’s March 10 meeting.
The Princeton Council also proclaimed March 19 – Parker’s 73rd birthday – as Tommy Parker Day.
Councilman Leighton Newlin first thanked the room full of attendees, which included Parker’s family and supporters, for coming out to celebrate Parker – regardless of how they came to know him.
“Whether you are here because Tommy played baseball with you or he coached you, or politically through community engagement, or just a member of the neighborhood – no matter how you got here or why you are here or how you know Tommy, we just want to thank you for coming out to show love to the Parker family and for Tommy,” Newlin said.
Then, Mayor Mark Freda and Princeton Council members each read aloud portions of the mayoral proclamation.
Parker was born and raised in the family’s home at 27 Leigh Ave., along with his older sister, Sallyanne, and his younger brother, Lawrence, the proclamation said.
Parker has contributed to Princeton in numerous ways – from his service on the Princeton Civil Rights Commission and the Princeton Human Services Commission, to creating programs to mentor young people, according to the proclamation.
Among his notable contributions, Parker was the co-founder, general manager and coach of the American Legion Post 218 baseball team for 32 years.
Parker also coached youth baseball and football teams, which grew out of his love of sports and participation in summer softball games as a child, the proclamation said.
“Tommy Parker dedicated himself to mentoring young athletes, ensuring that the next generation of young men had guidance, encouragement and opportunities to succeed both on and off the field,” the proclamation said.
Parker was also among a group that launched “Committed Princetonians,” which mentored neighborhood youths to enhance their self-awareness, self-esteem and academic development – reinforcing his lifelong commitment to the well-being of the town’s next generation, the proclamation said.
As the chairman of the recently disbanded Princeton Civil Rights Commission, Parker advocated for a “greater awareness and understanding of what fairness, access and equity looks like in Princeton,” according to the proclamation.
Parker’s influence also extended into the political realm. He was the chairman of the Princeton Democratic Municipal Committee from June 2020 to January 2022, and then served as president of the Princeton Community Democratic Organization from January 2022 to January 2023.
Parker, who worked for Princeton University, was the president of the university’s largest local union – Service Employees International Union Local 175. In that role, he pushed for labor rights and fair representation, the proclamation said.
The proclamation also praised Parker’s wife, Joanne Parker, for standing alongside her husband and demonstrating the same principles of community building, advocacy and resilience that defined the couple and their children and grandchildren.
“The Parker family is beloved in Princeton for their unwavering dedication to the welfare of others, their family strength and resilience, and their relentless fight for the least among us, embodying the very essence of community, justice and family values,” the proclamation said.
Despite enduring two severe strokes and the loss of his oldest son, Tuumas, Parker’s indomitable spirit remains a beacon of resilience, perseverance and love for his community, it said.
The attendees broke into extended applause as Freda and the Princeton Council members read the last paragraphs of the resolution.
Parker’s son, Taarique Parker, thanked the mayor and Princeton Council for recognizing and honoring his father and the Parker family.
“Thank you for giving us a community to be a part of and to serve,” he said.
