CURTIS W. PARKER

Curtis "Curt" W. Parker, age 56, of Pleasant Hill, Missouri, passed away at home on Friday, February 28, 2025.

In September 2022, Curt was diagnosed with cancer, which resulted from repeated exposures to carcinogens throughout the course of his firefighting career.  Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 13, 2025 at Abundant Life 304 SW Persels Rd., Lee's Summit, Missouri 64081.

Curt was born in Kansas City, Missouri on July 24,1968. He graduated from Lee's Summit High School in 1986. Following a 1988 conversation with a firefighter, Curt began working as volunteer firefighter for Prairie Township Fire District in Missouri (now known as Southern Jackson County Fire District). He started working as a firefighter/paramedic for the City of Belton Missouri in 1990, and the City of Grandview, Missouri in 1999. While he was with GFD, Curt became a certified Swiftwater Rescue Technician.

Curt medically retired from the fire service on March 31, 2023.  Curt never said he "had" to go to work. He loved his career so much that he'd say, "I get to go to work."

Curt received formal firefighter, EMT, and paramedic licensure training through the University of Missouri Fire Rescue Training Institute and the Medical Center of Independence.  He inspired his daughter, Samantha Brack, to become a firefighter (currently with KCFD).

In addition to his full-time firefighter/paramedic work, Curt owned his own excavating construction business digging trenches and laying pipe for new residential and commercial electrical service.

From 2006 - 2019 Curt served as a paramedic and logistics officer with the Missouri State Disaster Medical Team ("DMAT") primarily working out of its Kansas City underground warehouse. The team provided medical assistance at concerts, the Missouri State Fair, air shows and weather-related disasters. On May 22, 2011, the team was deployed to Joplin, Missouri where they constructed a fully equipped and working M.A.S.H. style tent hospital after an EF-5 tornado devastated the city and destroyed St. John's Regional Medical Center.

When he wasn't working, Curt enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, camping, riding his Harley, trail riding in the side-by-side, and traveling (especially road trips!). Before Curt's cancer diagnosis, he and his wife, Karen, planned to take their camper, boat, and fishing gear on cross-country trips during their retirement years together.

Curt was preceded in death by his father, Terry Parker. He is survived by his wife, Karen Parker; children, Sydney Parker, Samantha Brack, and Johnathan Brack (wife, Courtney); parents, Patricia ("Pat") and Mike Jones; sisters, Marcine (Jones) Carey, Christine (Jones) Anguzza, and Merrilee Parker; a brother, Steven Jones; brothers-in-law, Richard McOsker (wife, Cindy), and Mike (wife, Jacqui) and two grandchildren, Mason Brack and Harlynn (Brack) Chism.

In. lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to https://www.firefightercancersupport.org/how-you-can-help/donate

Arrangements: Cullen Funeral Home, Raymore, Missouri 816.322.5278