Charles Parker

Charles McBee Parker, Professor Emeritus of Theatre at the University of Wyoming died 1-21-2016 in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Mr. Parker was born February 2, 1922 in Greencastle, Indiana to Ralph William Parker and Elsie (McBee) Parker. The family moved to Martinsville, Indiana in 1925. He attended the Martinsville schools until 1937; living in Linden, Indiana until graduation from Linden High School in 1940. From 1940 until 1943 he attended Indiana University until enlistment in an Army Reserve Unit was called to active duty. He trained at Camp Wolters, Texas, Camp Rucker, Alabama, and Camp Butner, North Carolina. He went overseas in May 1944 with the 137th Infantry, 35th Division. After staging in England, the 35th Division landed on Omaha Beach, participating in the Normandy campaign and the liberation of France. Mr. Parker was wounded in northern France in September 1944. He was evacuated to a hospital in England. In March of 1945 he returned to France on limited service and was assigned to the Headquarters of the Reinforcement Command in Paris. After the war ended in Europe he went to the Office of the Military AttachAC. to the Near Allied Governments at the American Embassy in London. In September, 1945 he was assigned to the Office of the Military AttachAC. at the newly reopened American Embassy in Warsaw, Poland. He returned from Poland in the spring of 1946 and was discharged as a Staff Sergeant at Camp Atterbury, Indiana in June, 1946. Among his military decorations are a European Theatre Ribbon with three battle stars, a Combat Infantry Badge and a Purple Heart.


In the fall of 1946 Mr. Parker returned to Indiana University for three years of graduate study. During the last two years of graduate study he held a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship. In 1949 he came to the University of Wyoming as an instructor in the theatre division of the Department of Speech. From that department evolved the present Department of the Theatre and Dance. Mr. Parker was with the University for 35 years, retiring in 1984. During that time he taught theatre history along with other classes, created the Wyoming Summer Theatre in 1954, and directed nearly 100 plays for the University Theatre.

Charles was preceded in death by his parents and an infant sister. He is survived by special friends, Kathleen Bertoncelj, Lee Hodgson, and Christian Boeving. In addition he is survived by numerous cousins in California, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, North Carolina, Russia, and Maine. In particular he is survived by cousins, Anne and Gary L. Bradley of Colorado Springs, CO and their families in Denver.

A graveside service will be held at the Linden Cemetery, Linden IN Saturday February 27, 10:30 AM. A memorial service and military rites will follow the graveside service at the Linden United Methodist Church at 11:30 AM, Pastor Mindy Huffman officiating. Hahn-Groeber Funeral & Cremation Service, Linden, is in charge of the arrangements. Memories and condolences may be left at www.hahngroeberfuneralhome.com