Daniel Parker

Daniel Parker, 74, of Winona, MN, passed away on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, at the Mayo Clinic – St. Mary’s Campus, Rochester, MN in the presence of his children and his wife of 49 years.

Daniel was born September 21, 1949, in Wadena, MN to Wiltse (Dobbs) and Warren Parker. He graduated from Sebeka High School in 1967, before earning his Bachelor of Science in Biometry from the University of Minnesota in 1971 where he was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa honor society. He graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1975 and completed his residency in Internal Medicine in 1978 at the University of Minnesota.

Following in the footsteps of his father, he was a physician. He served his community at the Winona Clinic and Winona Health for 41 years, from 1978 – 2019. He was endlessly devoted to the care of his patients and over the years served as the Chief of the Medical Staff and built Winona Health’s Conservative Management Clinic which earned a Minnesota Hospital Association Quality and Patient Safety Improvement Award in 2015.

He met his soon-to-be wife, Suzanne Skaar, at Pioneer Hall dormitory during their Junior Year. They had a Christmas wedding in Albert Lea, MN on December 21, 1974. They had four children and ten grandchildren who were the light of his life. He loved to golf, fish, walk babies, travel, cook, spend time up at Gull Lake and defeat crossword puzzles. He was a voracious reader and privately played the guitar. He was a loyal Gopher fan—the swinging gates always brought a tear to his eye. He loved music and encouraged his children to learn to appreciate Doc Watson and Bob Dylan.

He is survived by his wife, Suzanne Parker; four children: Benjamin (Alison) Parker, Anne (Peter) Frosch, Matthew (Ashley) Parker, and Sarah (Paul) Atkins; ten grandchildren: Anna Parker, Maya Parker, Samuel Parker, Parker Frosch, Mark Frosch, Henry Parker, Eleanor Parker, Oliver Parker, Theodore Atkins, and Hugo Atkins; sisters Wiltse Crompton and Lynn Reneau; brother Warren “Bill” Parker; brothers-in-law: Jeff Reneau, John Skaar, Peter (Arlene) Skaar, Alfred Skaar, and Steven Skaar; sisters-in-law: Ann (Jack) Croswell, Sandy Parker, and Sandra Skaar; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Warren and Wiltse Parker, brother Michael Parker, sister Patia Parker, and brother-in-law Don Crompton.

Funeral Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 16, 2024, at Central Lutheran Church, Winona, MN with the visitation being held an hour prior at the church. Rev. Linda Helberg will be officiating.

Memorials may be directed to Winona Health Foundation or Central Lutheran Church.

Services entrusted to Fawcett Junker Funeral Home & Crematory, Winona, MN. Online condolences can be left at www.fawcett-junkerfuneralhome.com.