Parker Snead
Parker Snead was born in St. Louis, Missouri on June 4, 1947. He grew up in Richmond, Virginia and Dallas, Texas.
He was a fourth generation member of the Adirondack League Club where, for many years, he owned his family’s camp on Lake Honnedaga.
It was there, as a child, that he developed his love for boats and boating. Combined with his spirit for adventure, he took to sea and earned his 200-ton Coast Guard Masters License.
During his career as a charter yacht captain, he met Joan Cooke in Key West, and they married in Abaco, Bahamas in January, 1981.
They owned and operated a variety of motor and sailing yachts, which they chartered to guests all over the Bahamas, South Florida, the Great Lakes, Canada and the Gulf of Mexico. Some of his favorite adventures were at sea.
In the late 1980s, the Sneads came ashore to the Adirondacks, where they founded and operated the Forestport Boat Company. Parker, always a master mechanic, taught himself to be a skilled carpenter, and the company still produces top notch special interest inboard runabouts enjoyed by proud owners across the country.
Parker was an airplane pilot and enjoyed flying over our beautiful area of lakes and mountains.
Most recently, Parker was elected as Supervisor to the Town of Forestport.
Always quick to say that he was not a politician, he had become dissatisfied with the poor appearance of his town due to inadequate maintenance and the delay in rebuilding the historic Twin Bridges, that had been closed for safety reasons.
His endless research and campaign to bring the project to a public vote led to the beautiful new bridges that we enjoy today.
Parker was a visionary, a creative thinker who was always optimistic about the future and what could be accomplished.
As Town Supervisor he would take on challenges with great determination and would not quit until his dreams were realized.
He extended the use of town property and created new areas for public recreation that were enjoyed last summer by so many.
Parker is survived by his wife Joan; his brother Jon and wife Jeanne and family of Dallas, Texas; his son Greg Boatright and wife Christina; his three grandchildren and six nieces and nephews; his mother-in-law Audrey Cooke and his father-in-law David Cooke, who, as Parker always said, gave him his two greatest gifts: Joan and a compilation of Parker’s original poetry in a book entitled “From Forestport, a Poetry Collection by Parker Snead.”
Parker loved all animals, his cats, his country, his family and community of friends and supporters, and mostly his wife.
Sadly, he passed away on December 8 after a long battle with leukemia.
There will be a celebration of Parker’s life on Saturday, December 19 at noon in the Forestport Town Hall, 12012 Woodhull Rd, Forestport, NY 13338.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Forestport’s Girl Scout Troop. Checks should be made out to NYPenn Pathway Girl Scouts (For Troop 20002, Abelbeck); and can be mailed to 8170 Thompson Road; Cicero, NY 13039.
