Richard "Pete" Parker, Jr.

Richard “Pete” Parker, Jr., 79 of Morehead City, passed away on Friday, April 7, 2017 at his home.

A celebration of life service will be held 2:00 pm Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at Munden Funeral Home Chapel.

He was born in Canton, Ohio on August 27, 1937. Pete graduated from The Ohio State University where he earned a B.S. and M.S. degree in Zoology in 1962 and 1967. He completed post graduate work in Marine Oceanography at Duke University Marine Laboratory in 1969. He was a Navy Seal in the U.S. Navy. He served briefly aboard ship and as a “frogman” in the Underwater Demolition Team. For two years between undergraduate and graduate school, he worked on Lake Erie as a Fisheries Research Biologist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Pete worked as a Research Fisheries Biologist and Diving Supervisor with NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, at the Beaufort Laboratory on Pivers Island for 40 years. There, he supervised menhaden tagging crews along the NC coast and in Chesapeake Bay, and conducted reef fish community structure studies independent from fisheries statistics, often using scuba and submersibles. He had major studies published including one on climate change and global warming. Pete started the diving program in Beaufort for NOAA. Pete was an avid hunter and fisherman.

Pete is survived by his loving wife, of over 39 years, Libba Parker; daughters, Beth Lindow and husband Fred of Beaufort, Patty Mathes and husband Todd of Dallas, Texas; son, Doug Horne of Wilmington; grandchildren, Noah Lindow, Coletta Lindow, and Reagan Mathes.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Elizabeth Zollinger Parker and sister, Penny Garrison.

Donations in his honor are welcome to be made to the Carteret County Wildlife Club, PO Box 1123, Morehead City, NC 28557-1123, carteretcountywildlifeclub.org

Online condolences may be made at www.mundenfuneralhome.net

Arrangements are by Munden Funeral Home & Crematory, Morehead City, NC.