Theodore Parker
Theodore “Ted” Parker, a former union steward and maintenance employee at U-M, died Dec. 6. He was 74.
Parker was born May 11, 1933, in Harrisburg, Pa., the son of Theodore and Pansy Parker. He served in the military and in 1953 graduated from Ann Arbor High School, where he met June, whom he married June 27, 1953.
Parker was the owner of the C-Ted’s Marathon Gas Station in 1954-59 located on the University campus. Later he owned and operated a home delivery dairy business for Dean’s and Sealtest.
In 1976 Parker went to work for U-M in the maintenance department, retiring in 1992.
He was a 32nd degree Mason in the Phoenix Lodge Masonic Temple and received the prestigious “Hats Off” award from the Order of DeMolay. He also was a member of the Saline American Legion.
Parker is survived by his wife; three daughters, Kay Blond of Prairie Village, Kan., Dr. Diann (Joe) Parker of Eaton Rapids and Susan Parker of Winchester, Ky.; and six grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Dec. 11 at West United Methodist Church in Ann Arbor. Contributions may be made to the JMP Scholarship Foundation, in care of Kay Blond, 11005 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, Kan., 66210.
Jayant Patel
Jayant Patel, a 45-year U-M employee who retired in 2006 as supervisor of the Drug Analysis Laboratory at the Department of Pathology, died Sept. 23 in Ann Arbor. He was 72.
Patel, who was born in India May 23, 1935, earned a bachelor’s degree from Saugor University in India. In 1959 he moved to Ann Arbor to attend U-M as a graduate student. He received a master’s degree in pharmacy in 1961, and completed his doctoral degree in pharmacy while working as a pharmacy tech in the old University Hospital. During the 1970s there were no drug testing services at the hospital. In 1974 he founded the Drug Analysis and Toxicology laboratory and worked there as a supervisor until his retirement.
Since 1978 he was a member of the NCAA drug-testing program, holding the position of crew chief. He also was a FINA International Swimming Association drug tester through the U.S. Olympic committee and traveled to Atlanta, Ga., for the 1996 Summer Olympics. He gave lectures on drug analysis and toxicology once a year to undergraduate students studying medicinal chemistry. Patel contributed a chapter on quality control and standards to the Handbook of Institutional Pharmacy Practice (1986). He also was published in several peer-reviewed journals.
Patel had a strong passion for photography, gardening and bowling. In addition to collecting rare plants, he found joy in photographing their exotic blooms. He often entered photography exhibits at the U-M Hospital.
Patel is survived by his wife of 53 years, Kala Patel; his daughters Visha (Harendra) of Farmington Hills, Neeta (Paresh) of Canton, Rita (Suresh) of Rochester Hills; his son Manish (Tammy) of Dexter; and 10 grandchildren, Shrina, Shivani, Imari, Paras, Armani, Ishan, Ashton, Amira, Brennen and Brea.
His funeral service took place Sept. 27 at the Nie funeral home in Ypsilanti.
— Submitted by Shivani Patel, School of Public Health
