Roy Parker

Roy Parker, age 94, passed away on February 21, 2025, in his beloved mountains of Ruidoso, New Mexico. Roy was born on July 29, 1930, in Chicago, Illinois to the late Gerda and Joel Parker. He grew up in Chicago where in school he lettered in skating, diving, and gymnastics. 

Roy was competitive in nature, winning two sets of silver skates in the Chicago Tribune Annual Race. After catching the skiing bug at the young age of 10, he made his way to Aspen, Colorado in 1948. Roy was always tenacious; he worked his way up from a fresh faced 18-year-old to teaching the top ski classes during the inaugural years of Aspen. He soon became the manager at Loveland Ski Basin where he spent two years, followed by assisting with the establishment of the first ski school at Vail Colorado, before he found his true and final calling as the Manager of Sierra Blanca (now Ski Apache). 

He managed the ski mountain for 39 years before retiring in 2002. To say Roy was a mountain man was an understatement. He will forever be known as a ski legend and impeccable leader as an early pioneer in the industry. He was inducted into the New Mexico Ski Hall of Fame in 2007.

As well as skiing, Roy enjoyed flying, going on long drives, and spending time with the people (or animals) he loved deeply. You could often find him surveying the country from above in his Cessna, zipping through the desert in a Porsche, or laughing at Jorge's with family and friends.

Roy is survived by his wife Judy Parker; sons, Monty Parker (Virginia), and Erik Parker; and grandchildren, Hannah Parker (Jeremy Smyth), Evan Parker (Kimmy Thompson), and Lisa Parker. He is preceded in death by his first wife, Caroline Parker who passed away in 1998.

As Roy would say, “Nothing in the world can take the place of Patience and Persistence.”

Services are pending and will be announced soon.

In lieu of flowers donations in memory of Roy can be made to the Community Foundation of Lincoln County at www.cfolc.org