Alton Harold Parker

The Cowboy Channel lost its number one fan on Thursday, January 4th, when Alton Harold Parker passed away peacefully in his sleep. Born on August 25, 1933 in High River, Alberta, Alton was the oldest of four children, and an adventurous soul from the very beginning. 

At the age of eight he contracted polio, and spent a year in hospital recovering. He felt the effects of his illness for all of his life, but it didn’t slow him down, and he never complained. He worked hard and was fearless when it came to trying new things. 

Alton wore many hats over his lifetime – most notably a cowboy hat. As a young man, he farmed with his father on the family homestead in Brant, Alberta. He loved Bull Riding and Saddle Bronc more than anything, competed in the Calgary Stampede, and followed the circuit through the United States, loving every minute spent with his buddies amongst the sport he loved. For Alton, rodeo was a passion, a community and a way of life. 

When not farming and rodeoing, Alton was a world traveler, a Scout leader and a baseball coach. He was an avid birder and loved animals, a good thrift shop, and had an enviable green thumb. He was an excellent cook, and made wonderful preserves from the fruits of his garden. 

In his retirement years, Alton enjoyed travelling near and far with his special friend Katie. He had an excellent memory, and loved to tell stories about their travel adventures. He also loved a good game of poker or blackjack, and was known to light up a room with laughter. 

Alton is survived by three siblings - Arlene Sylvestre (Phil Lambert), Ted Parker (Elaine) and Toni Kennedy, as well as beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, and lifelong friends. He was predeceased by his parents, Brant and Agnes Parker. 

A celebration of Alton’s life will take place in late spring - please contact the family for more information. 

We’ll miss his big smile, sly jokes and funny stories. He was truly one of a kind. 

Alton once dreamed about a fierce bull named Double Zero waiting for him on the other side. We hope he has achieved the perfect, elusive 100-point ride. Rest easy, Cowboy.