By Sylvester Brown Jr.
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH

Death is an accepted reality for most. But when a young life slips away suddenly, the accepted often becomes unacceptable.

Such is the case with Sherman Thompson Parker, the first African-American elected to the state House from St. Charles County. Parker died last week after suffering a brain aneurysm at age 37.

On Thursday, I sat at the St. Louis Bread Co. in the Central West End with a group who knew Parker well. They futilely tried to apply reason to this sudden loss.

The people gathered at the hospital spoke to Parker’s character, said Mike Murphy, another friend.

“The nurse said she’d never seen so many people with such diverse backgrounds. There were black, white, young, old, Democrat and Republican. It was beautiful. It was Sherman,” Murphy said.

Some of the people at the Bread Co. were with Parker three years ago, when we gathered to talk politics —

particularly black Republican politics. Read more…

The family has asked that you please make donations to his daughter Alexandra’s college fund. Contributions can be made at any Bank of America location nationwide. Simply tell the Bank of America teller or representative that you would like to make a contribution to the Alexandra Parker Fund.

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