After 59 years working in education, attendance clerk Dick Parker will retire next week. 

“I’ve had a good career,” Parker said. “There were nine in my family. I was the only one to go through college and I was the first one to graduate high school.”

This is Parker’s second time retiring.

“Somebody offered me a job here and I was bored and I was ready to get out of the house,” Parker said. “My wife had too many honey-dos for me to do.

Penny Wilson has been a friend for 15 years.

“He exudes positivity,” she said. “He’s so much fun to be around. I always told him that I couldn’t retire until he retires.”

Parker began his career as a grade 7 language arts teacher. He became director of curriculum for Lampasas ISD in 1966. Then he was assistant superintendent for business in Andrews ISD, assistant superintendent of personnel in Copperas Cove, superintendent in Copperas Cove and superintendent in Lampasas. 

“He’s so knowledgeable  in education because he’s done so many jobs in education,” Wilson said. “Having a retired superintendent from a big school district like Copperas Cove work here was just very inspiring because if there were ever any questions you could go to Mr. Parker and he would just answer them.” 

Parker served as interim principal in the fall of 2018.

Algebra teacher Kenneth Peiser has know Parker for about 15 years 

“He has been superintendent, principal, interim for us,” Peiser said. “He’s done quite a few things for us.”

Peiser would often talk about his yard with Parker. “I just know he’s going to do well,” Peiser said. “I’ll be stopping by his house and check on his yard work.”

 Parker stands outside the front door every morning on the days he works.

“Usually when I walk in the school he’ll greet me and he usually says something about the drink in my hand,” junior Charlotte Carmack said. “He always remembers [the drink] I had before.”