Stalwart of Occupy DC Dies in McPherson Square

Mark “Bear” Parker, a mainstay of Occupy DC, passed away in McPherson Square on August 14. Police came around midnight to ask people who were sleeping in the park to leave, but found him unresponsive. He had been sitting on a park bench near the site where the kitchen was located when the political protest occupied the park in late 2011 and early 2012. He was 51 years old.

Parker was involved in Occupy DC at McPherson Square from its inception on October 1, 2011. He participated in the Sleepers Committee, Sanitation Committee, and Comfort Station. In these capacities he was able to help those in need.

During Occupy, he lent his experience as a street person to help others understand what it was like to be homeless. Davinia Miles, a close friend, remembers him as a sensitive, caring man who wanted to help the homeless get off the streets. Recently, Parker had established a permanent home in an apartment in Northwest Washington, DC.

He wrote about his experiences during the Occupation of McPherson on a blog called “Bears Eye Occupy” and published many of his photographs which documented the movement. (See below for some of Mark Parker’s photos.) He was one of the few photographers to document the “Tent Of Dreams” as it was prepared during the early morning hours of January 30, 2012. He also blogged under “Washington word Warrior.”

He was a gifted storyteller and gave advice to friends as well as strangers. He did not mince words nor hold back his opinions on the way things should be done. He was often seen knitting in the park.

“He had a remarkable spirit,” said his friend Gerald Campbell. “Mark Parker was much more than he let on. He was a good man.”

[Note: The date of death has been corrected. The Office of the Medical Examiner and the Metropolitan Police Department confirm that Mr. Parker passed away on August 14, not August 25. The cause of death is cardiovascular disease.]

Friends of Mark Parker are holding a fundraiser to give him a dignified cremation and memorial. Please go here to donate.

Photos of Occupy DC by Mark Parker:

Thanks to Gerald Campbell for photos.