Jack David Parker was born in Redhill in April 1923 (celebrating his 98th birthday at Rye Harbour above) and has lived his life giving to others. His philosophy owes much to Henry Ford, ‘To do more for the world than the world does for you…that is success.’
Jack spent five years in the Navy and, then for the next forty-five, he was a butcher in Redhill, Surrey, and he and his wife worked throughout their lives for local and national charities. He was a familiar and popular character working in the Save the Children’s charity shop in in Reigate and his voice was well known on Radio Redhill for the whole of that time, playing hospital requests, announcing fetes and plugging functions.
He worked as DJ in numerous day centres and always was always a ray of sunshine to all those who met him.
And Jack has been collecting and donating for the RNLI for over sixty years and, when his daughter Rosemarie asked RNLI Rye Harbour if he could be given a special welcome for his 98th birthday (outside and socially-distanced), the station did not hesitate.
The surprise visit was ‘the best birthday present ever’, Jack said. RNLI Hastings was training jointly with Rye Harbour so, happily, Jack was greeted not by one, but by three lifeboats.
Image Credits: RNLI Rye Harbour and Hastings .