Parker L. Westbrook, 89, of Little Rock formerly of Nashville, died Thursday, November 19, 2015 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Mr. Westbrook was born January 4, 1926 in Nashville, Arkansas to the late Walter & Wincie Parker Westbrook. He was preceded in death by his sister, Lucille Westbrook and his brother James Allen Westbrook. Survivors include Several Cousins and host of friends. Parker Westbrook was the Founding President of the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas. His roots ran deep in Nashville and Washington, Arkansas, though his first foray into historic preservation came when he was living in Virginia and working in Washington DC as a Special Assistant for the U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright. Mr. Westbrook purchased and restored an 1807 Quaker Cottage in Waterford, Virginia. After 26 years in politics in Washington, D.C., Parker returned to his home state of Arkansas in 1975 to serve as Special Assistant for newly-elected Governor David Pryor.
Parker volunteered in several capacities supporting the Pioneer Washington Foundation, Arkansas’ oldest preservation organization. Parker first served as restoration advisor, then as Executive Director, and finally as President of the Foundation for 19 years. Parker was inducted into the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism’s Hall of Fame in 2007 with recognition for his dedication to promoting heritage tourism in Arkansas. He was an Advisor Emeritus to the National Trust for Historic Preservation [where he was Secretary of the Board for two terms] and a 2001 recipient of a Preservation Honors Award from the Trust and was declared a “National Treasure” at the Annual Meeting of the Trust. Parker served on the state Review Board of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program and the Historic Arkansas Museum Commission [where he served as Chairman of each entity for a time] for over three decades. He also served for two terms on the President’s Advisory Council on historic Preservation [Clinton] and was named Chairman of the Committee on National Historic Landmarks of the National Parks System Advisory Board. The “Lifetime Achievement Award” of the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas is designated the PARKER WESTBROOK AWARD and given annually by The Alliance. Private Graveside services were held Sunday. A Memorial service will be held Tuesday December 1, 2015at 1:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Washington, Arkansas. Memorials can be made to: Pioneer Washington Restoration Foundation P.O. Box 127 Washington, AR 71862; Arkansas Community Foundation (Parker Westbrook Endowment) 1400 West Markham Little Rock, AR 72201. You may send an online sympathy message to www.latimerfuneralhome.com.
