Albany community remembers Albany Tech’s Dr. Anthony Parker

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Dr. Anthony Parker, who passed away on Monday, served as president of Albany Technical College for 27 years. During that time, he made many contributions and helped to make education accessible in Southwest Georgia possible.

Technical college staff said Parker had a great impact on them both professionally and personally.

“He was my boss, but he was also my friend,” said Bobby Ellis, Albany Tech director of marketing and public relations. “He will be missed by me and everyone here at the college. You never know when you run into a person what kind of influence they’re going to have in your life, and he did that with the senior staff. He did it with everyone here.”

Parker heavily influenced many different outlets within the community, such as his work with Phoebe where he served on the board, the 4C Academy and the Marine Corps Logistics Base.

His efforts in education were so great, that despite his passing, he still has some things in the works.

“He was a very planned person,” Ellis said. “He had things in place, and senior staff at the college will continue to carry on what his plans were over the next three to five years, and the school itself is a legacy to Dr. Parker.”

Staff at Phoebe are currently working on plans they had collaborated on with Parker.

“We’re actually still working on a big program to bring more nurses to Albany,” said Scott Steiner, Phoebe Putney Health System president and CEO. “We’re in the midst of that planning right now, and it was really Dr. Parker that took on that in partnership with Phoebe to go big.”

Chris Hatcher is the CEO of 4C Academy. Hatcher said the academy has a very special room dedicated to Parker which will help to carry on his legacy.

“He was so instrumental in starting the 4C academy, that our board named this community room, which is just a great asset to our community, The Parker Community Room, just because of his involvement from the very beginning of the 4C academy,” Hatcher said.

Ellis said it is through Parker’s efforts that many students have graduated, gotten jobs and helped to turn Albany into the growing community that it is.

Funeral arrangements for Dr. Parker will be Friday, June 10 at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 901 South Westover Boulevard. All ATC classes will be canceled and campuses will be closed Friday.

Classes will resume Monday, June 13.

You can read his obituary here.

Copyright 2022 WALB. All rights reserved.