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Jeff Parker, a 1983 White Bear Mariner graduate and a member of the Dolphins 1982 State runner-up team to Edina, passed away on September 11, 2017.

He was drafted in the 6th round by Buffalo in 1982.

Parker played three years at Michigan State and signed with Buffalo in 1986 after the Spartans won the NCAA title. He split his time with the Sabres and in the AHL. His professional career ended with the Hartford Whalers in 1991 due to concussions.

He also battled with a heart disease. Parker was 53 years old.

My prayers for him and his family.

RIP. Way to young.

The​ ​world​ ​has​ ​lost​ ​a​ ​kind,​ ​loving​ ​soul.​ ​Jeffrey​ ​Lee​ ​Parker,​ ​53,​ ​passed​ ​away​ ​on​ ​Monday,​ ​September 11th,​ ​2017,​ ​at​ ​Abbott​ ​Northwestern​ ​Hospital​ ​in​ ​Minneapolis​ ​Minnesota​ ​from​ ​complications​ ​due​ ​to​ ​Cardio Pulmonary​ ​Hypertension.​ ​He​ ​is​ ​at​ ​peace​ ​with​ ​his​ ​Lord​ ​and​ ​Saviour.

Jeff​ ​was​ ​born​ ​on​ ​September​ ​7th,​ ​1964​ ​in​ ​Saint​ ​Paul,​ ​Minnesota,​ ​to​ ​Charles​ ​Parker​ ​and​ ​Linda​ ​(Shosten) Wenzel.

An​ ​extremely​ ​talented​ ​and​ ​gifted​ ​athlete,​ ​he​ ​graduated​ ​from​ ​White​ ​Bear​ ​Mariner​ ​High​ ​School​ ​and​ ​went on​ ​to​ ​play​ ​hockey​ ​at​ ​Michigan​ ​State​ ​where​ ​he​ ​was​ ​an​ ​integral​ ​part​ ​of​ ​the​ ​1986​ ​NCAA​ ​championship​ ​team. Realizing​ ​a​ ​lifelong​ ​dream,​ ​he​ ​left​ ​Michigan​ ​State​ ​after​ ​three​ ​years​ ​and​ ​played​ ​professional​ ​hockey​ ​for​ ​the Buffalo​ ​Sabres.​ ​He​ ​played​ ​in​ ​the​ ​NHL​ ​for​ ​five​ ​seasons,​ ​after​ ​which​ ​he​ ​continued​ ​to​ ​be​ ​involved​ ​in​ ​hockey​ ​at many​ ​levels.​ ​He​ ​was​ ​number​ ​one​ ​fan​ ​of​ ​brothers​ ​Scott​ ​at​ ​UW-Eau​ ​Claire​ ​and​ ​John​ ​at​ ​UW-Madison​ ​and​ ​found great​ ​joy​ ​in​ ​following​ ​his​ ​niece​ ​and​ ​nephew’s​ ​teams.​ ​He​ ​was​ ​very​ ​much​ ​looking​ ​forward​ ​to​ ​watching​ ​Charlie play​ ​at​ ​​ ​Augsburg​ ​College​ ​in​ ​Minneapolis​ ​this​ ​year.​ ​Jeff​ ​also​ ​impacted​ ​many​ ​young​ ​hockey​ ​players​ ​as​ ​a volunteer​ ​coach​ ​for​ ​Chisago​ ​Lakes​ ​youth​ ​hockey​ ​program​ ​and​ ​was​ ​a​ ​staunch​ ​supporter​ ​of​ ​brother​ ​Scott’s Chippewa​ ​Falls​ ​Cardinals.

The​ ​only​ ​thing​ ​Jeff​ ​loved​ ​more​ ​than​ ​hockey​ ​was​ ​his​ ​family.​ ​He​ ​doted​ ​on​ ​his​ ​sweet​ ​daughter​ ​who​ ​was the​ ​light​ ​of​ ​his​ ​life.​ ​Time​ ​with​ ​his​ ​brothers​ ​was​ ​always​ ​very​ ​special​ ​and​ ​usually​ ​quite​ ​entertaining​ ​to​ ​those around​ ​them.​ ​He​ ​loved​ ​family​ ​gatherings,​ ​especially​ ​if​ ​it​ ​included​ ​fishing.​ ​Being​ ​on​ ​his​ ​boat,​ ​particularly​ ​if​ ​speed was​ ​involved,​ ​was​ ​another​ ​thing​ ​that​ ​brought​ ​Jeffrey​ ​great​ ​joy.

Jeff​ ​was​ ​famous​ ​for​ ​his​ ​grit​ ​and​ ​toughness​ ​on​ ​the​ ​ice,​ ​but​ ​off​ ​the​ ​ice​ ​for​ ​having​ ​a​ ​big​ ​heart.​ ​He​ ​was known​ ​for​ ​his​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​humor​ ​and​ ​was​ ​the​ ​king​ ​of​ ​one-liners.​ ​​ ​Although​ ​he​ ​suffered​ ​from​ ​many​ ​medical​ ​issues, he​ ​never​ ​complained.​ ​He​ ​took​ ​time​ ​to​ ​talk​ ​with​ ​those​ ​he​ ​met,​ ​showed​ ​a​ ​genuine​ ​interest​ ​in​ ​their​ ​lives,​ ​and wanted​ ​to​ ​lend​ ​a​ ​hand​ ​if​ ​he​ ​could.​ ​Even​ ​as​ ​he​ ​lie​ ​in​ ​the​ ​hospital,​ ​exhausted,​ ​he​ ​wanted​ ​to​ ​order​ ​pizza​ ​for​ ​his visitors.​ ​That​ ​was​ ​Jeff.

Jeff​ ​is​ ​survived​ ​by​ ​his​ ​love​ ​of​ ​many​ ​​ ​years,​ ​Melina​ ​Miller,​​ ​​of​ ​Mahtomedi,​ ​MN;​ ​two​ ​children,​ ​Jedrich Balko(22)​ ​and​ ​Josephine​ ​Lola​ ​Parker(4);​ ​parents,​ ​Charlie​ ​Parker​ ​of​ ​White​ ​Bear​ ​Lake,MN​ ​and​ ​mother​ ​and stepfather​ ​Linda​ ​and​ ​Terry​ ​Wenzel​ ​of​ ​Hugo,​ ​MN;​ ​brothers​ ​Scott​ ​(Susan)​ ​Parker​ ​of​ ​Chippewa​ ​Falls,​ ​Wisconsin and​ ​John​ ​(Laura)​ ​Parker​ ​of​ ​Madison,​ ​Wisconsin;​ ​nieces​ ​and​ ​nephew,​ ​Madeline,​ ​Charlie,​ ​Claire,​ ​Leah​ ​and​ ​Eve Parker.​ ​Many​ ​other​ ​aunts,​ ​uncles,​ ​cousins​ ​and​ ​friends.

He​ ​was​ ​preceded​ ​in​ ​death​ ​by​ ​Grandparents​ ​Leroy​ ​and​ ​Donita​ ​Shosten,​ ​Herb​ ​and​ ​Helen​ ​Parker​ ​and Great​ ​Grandmother​ ​Eleanor​ ​‘Lola’​ ​Roth;​ ​and​ ​uncle​ ​John​ ​Shosten.

Funeral​ ​services​ ​will​ ​be​ ​held​ ​at​ ​Saint​ ​Andrew's​ ​Lutheran​ ​Church​ 9​​ 00​​ ​Stillwater​ ​Rd,​ ​Mahtomedi,​ ​MN​​ ​on Friday​ ​September​ ​15th​ ​at​ ​11​ ​A.M.​ ​A​ ​visitation​ ​will​ ​be​ ​held​ ​one​ ​hour​ ​before​ ​the​ ​service.

A​ ​charity​ ​in​ ​Jeff’s​ ​memory​ ​is​ ​being​ ​established​ ​by​ ​the​ ​family.​ ​Memorials​ ​can​ ​be​ ​delivered​ ​to​ ​the​ ​church​ ​on Friday​ ​or​ ​mailed​ ​to​ ​Scott​ ​Parker,​ ​6728​ ​189th​ ​Street,​ ​Chippewa​ ​Falls,​ ​Wi​ ​54729.

Many​ ​people​ ​knew​ ​of​ ​Jeff​ ​Parker​ ​because​ ​of​ ​his​ ​success​ ​and​ ​affiliations​ ​in​ ​the​ ​hockey​ ​world.​ ​As​ ​family gathered​ ​around​ ​him​ ​the​ ​last​ ​few​ ​days​ ​of​ ​his​ ​life,​ ​he​ ​expressed​ ​that​ ​he​ ​wanted​ ​his​ ​memory​ ​to​ ​‘be​ ​about​ ​love’. That​ ​will​ ​be​ ​the​ ​easy​ ​part,​ ​Jeffrey.​ ​1​ ​Corinthians​ ​16:14​ ​Let​ ​all​ ​you​ ​do​ ​be​ ​done​ ​in​ ​love.

Lovesong​​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Cure
However​ ​far​ ​away,​ ​I​ ​will​ ​always​ ​love​ ​you However​ ​long​ ​I​ ​stay,​ ​I​ ​will​ ​always​ ​love​ ​you Whatever​ ​words​ ​I​ ​say,​ ​I​ ​will​ ​always​ ​love​ ​you I​ ​will​ ​always​ ​love​ ​you

Thanks for posting wbmd. I wish I would have met him. RIP

Parker's brain has also been donated to Boston University to determine whether he suffered from the debilitating disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Concussions is what shortened his NHL career.

what a tough player on a great team...

sad to hear.....