Joan Parker

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Ken Krause

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Jan 24, 2021, 11:56:25 AM1/24/21
to Medford Community Garden
Hello. Sorry to share this news but I wanted to make sure people in this group were aware of the passing of Joan Parker, former Community Garden Commission member who was instrumental in the creation of the Winthrop Street Community Garden. 

- Ken 


PARKER, Joan Nancy Age 73 of Medford, MA died on Jan. 21, 2021. Daughter of Alice and Bill Schaefer, she is survived by her husband John Wooding, her dear twin sister Judy Deichler, her brother JD Schaefer, her nieces Jacquelyn and Joelle Pannullo, her nephews Justin and Jeff Pannullo, and her dogs Opie and Jack. She planted dozens of beautiful gardens and spread the love of plants among many people. 

Born in 1947 in Lima, Peru, Joan grew up in North Africa, Latin America, and New York as her family moved. She graduated from Cornell University, coordinated education programs on occupational safety and health for Cornell's School of Labor and Industrial Relations and researched chemical hazards at the University's Science, Technology and Society Program. This work drove her interest in protecting workers from workplace hazards and she moved to Boston for graduate study at the Harvard School of Public Health, Industrial Hygiene Program, gaining a Master's degree. There she met friends with whom she shared a dedication and commitment to establishing social justice for all working peoples' rights and health and safety. 

Joan worked for many years at the Massachusetts Department Labor and Industries, Division of Occupational Hygiene. She led a precedent-setting case that ended decades of toxic pollution that sickened employees at Bay State Smelting in Somerville. For the first time in the state, an employer was criminally charged for endangering the lives of workers and community residents. Joan's work with workplace and community health leaders brought justice to the lead poisoned workers, their families, and the community. In 1995 Joan was appointed Director of the Division of Occupational Safety, then under the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. Joan led the investigation into the deaths of two tunnel workers on the Deer Island outflow tunnel project. In the book about this case "Trapped Under the Sea," author Neil Swidey wrote of Joan, "Though it was true that Parker was a bit of a bohemian, she had a real toughness to her. She drove around in a stick shift Ford pick-up with no air-conditioning and a big shaggy mutt riding with his head out the passenger window. The only sticker on the truck's bumper reads: MY DOG CAN LICK ANYONE." Joan was a tireless worker advocate, gave numerous conference presentations locally and abroad, prepared and presented testimony at state and federal hearings on hazard communication, and advocated for strengthening child labor laws. She served as President of the American Industrial Hygiene Association's New England Section and on numerous advisory boards.

After retiring from state service Joan concentrated on her lifelong love of plants. She became certified as a Principal Master Gardener by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society, established a small landscape and restoration business, and taught and mentored would-be gardeners. She volunteered for many years at the Medford Unitarian Church Food Pantry and led a project to create an organic vegetable garden for the pantry. She helped start, organize, and run the Winthrop Street Medford Community Garden. Joan was a lifelong advocate for worker rights. She was fierce and funny and passionate about all she did. She loved walking in the woods with her dogs, being in nature and helping the bad guys get their due. She will be dearly missed. 

No memorial ceremony is planned at this time. Donations in Joan's memory may be made to: Winslow Farm Animal Sanctuary: https://www.winslowfarm.com/ Mill City Grows: https://www.millcitygrows.org/ Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health: http://www.masscosh.org/ Planting a tree in Joan's memory would be lovely.  

M. N. Jirmanus

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Jan 24, 2021, 2:33:26 PM1/24/21
to Medford Community Garden, Ken Krause
Thank you so much Ken for letting us know more about Joan and her amazing accomplishments.  I really hope we can follow up on Cheridan's suggestion that we name our garden (Winthrop St. Community Garden) after Joan to honor her legacy.  This suggestion was echoed by many members of our community.

Best regards,

Munir 



Munir N. Jirmanus, Ph.D.
Physicist - Educator



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Paul Fombelle

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Jan 24, 2021, 2:37:08 PM1/24/21
to M. N. Jirmanus, Medford Community Garden, Ken Krause
I think the name change sounds like a perfect tribute to her. She will be missed. 

Paul

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 24, 2021, at 2:33 PM, 'M. N. Jirmanus' via Medford Community Garden <medford-comm...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



ANITA MELTON

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Jan 24, 2021, 3:06:47 PM1/24/21
to Paul Fombelle, M. N. Jirmanus, Medford Community Garden, Ken Krause
Thank you Munir for including me in this email.  I first met Joan at the garden in 2015 .  Iagree with naming the garden after her -  it would   indeed be a fitting tribute.
 

Frederick Laskey

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Jan 24, 2021, 4:43:19 PM1/24/21
to Ken Krause, Medford Community Garden
ken

Thank you so much for sending this along.  Joan was a special person who will be sorely missed.

Fred Laskey

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Philip Amisano

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Jan 24, 2021, 7:00:59 PM1/24/21
to ANITA MELTON, Paul Fombelle, M. N. Jirmanus, Medford Community Garden, Ken Krause, Olga Lattarulo
I also agree that it would be appropriate to name the garden after her. After reading the obit, I am so impressed with her life, philosophy, and accomplishments; that although I never met her I instantly respect her. To her family I give my sincere condolenses. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/medford-community-garden/984899355.418236.1611518805062%40connect.xfinity.com.

Adrianne Appel

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Jan 25, 2021, 9:50:38 AM1/25/21
to M. N. Jirmanus, Medford Community Garden, Ken Krause
Dear Ken, Munir and all,
Thank you so much for letting me know about Joan, who dedicated countless  hours to the Winthrop  St. garden. Her energy and spirit will definitely live on at the garden. Ken please keep me posted about renaming the garden and how I can contribute.
Best, 
Adrianne

On Jan 24, 2021, at 2:33 PM, 'M. N. Jirmanus' via Medford Community Garden <medford-comm...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



Ken Krause

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Mar 22, 2022, 5:55:38 PM3/22/22
to Medford Community Garden
Hello. I was just following up to see if the discussion last year about possible ways to honor the late Joan Parker ever resulted in anything definitive. One suggestion was to look into possibly naming the Winthrop Street Community Garden in her honor.

Thank you.

- Ken

Elizabeth W

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Mar 22, 2022, 9:08:22 PM3/22/22
to Ken Krause, Medford Community Garden
Hi Ken,

Thank you for the follow up. This year we will be making some improvements to the garden including the installation of a pergola. As I understand it, the pergola was part of the original vision for the garden and something the Joan desired to have built.  As a garden, we have decided to dedicate the pergola to Joan’s memory.  

When the pergola is installed we do plan to have a ceremony in Joan’s honor. We will announce it to the greater Medford community when plans are finalized. 

Thank you,
Liz White
Winthrop Street Community Garden Coordinator


Sue Gerould

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Mar 22, 2022, 9:45:12 PM3/22/22
to Elizabeth W, Ken Krause, Medford Community Garden
The group of Master Gardeners who maintain the UU church pantry garden have also created a space in her honor over there which has several rough stone benches and is in the process of being planted with native plants. It is a lovely contemplative spot behind the Osgood House. They are calling it Joan’s Grove. 

Sue

Sent from my iPhone. 

On Mar 22, 2022, at 9:08 PM, Elizabeth W <elizabet...@gmail.com> wrote:



Ken Krause

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Mar 22, 2022, 10:46:18 PM3/22/22
to Medford Community Garden
Thank you to everyone for the updates. The pergola sounds like a great idea, and the UU church space sounds delightful. I'll definitely walk over and check it out.

- Ken
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