Scholarship Honors Sgt. AJ Parker’s Legacy of Service and Kindness – The Suffolk News-Herald
Published 10:00 am Wednesday, October 1, 2025
By Staff Reports
Every year on Veterans Day, Joan Turner received a phone call from her friend, Sgt. AJ Parker. The calls weren’t about Veterans Day, and they weren’t about him. They were about her son, Quantez Russell, who went missing on Nov. 11.
“He always called that day, even though Veterans Day was his day,” Turner said. “It was like having another dad. It was so easy to talk to him.”
Two years after Parker’s death, his friends are ensuring that kindness lives on through the Sgt. AJ Parker Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship will make its first awards this spring to four graduating seniors from Suffolk.
Anthony Jerome Parker was born and raised in Suffolk and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School. He served 22 years in the Army, retiring as a first sergeant, before beginning a successful career in sales at Mike Duman Auto Sales. Known for his upbeat nature, Parker was honored as a top Army recruiter and a top salesman.
But Parker’s true legacy, family and friends said, was his devotion to others. He and his wife, Deborah, shared more than 45 years together and raised eight children.
“He was just special,” Deborah Parker said. “He looked out for everybody. He had a giving heart and spirit.”
Parker’s impact extended far beyond his family. “In all my 40 years in the automotive business, I’ve never met a more upbeat and positive individual,” said Carl Farris, who, along with dealership owner Mike Duman, helped establish the scholarship. “He could light up a room as no one else could. His glass was always full.”
Parker also knew hardship. He and his wife lost two children, including their son Deshawn, who was shot and killed in 2006. Despite his grief, Parker comforted others. Farris recalled visiting Parker’s home after Deshawn’s death.
“I was crying, and AJ, in the middle of dealing with his grief as a father, sees me in the corner and comes over and hugs me,” Farris said. “That was AJ.”
Afterward, Parker became an advocate against gun violence. Alongside Turner, he co-founded the Suffolk Advocacy Group to support parents who had lost children to violence, later expanding to include siblings.
The scholarship will continue that spirit of giving. It will be renewable for up to $5,000 over four years and will support students pursuing four-year universities, community colleges, or trade schools. The program is managed through the Suffolk Foundation, which oversees 20 scholarships across the region. In 2025, the foundation awarded more than $150,000 to local students.
“The establishment of this scholarship is a fitting tribute to an individual who, despite modest beginnings and significant socio-economic challenges, overcame these obstacles to become a responsible and respected man who served both his country and his city with honor and distinction,” Duman said.
Farris said he was honored to help create the scholarship. He added that Suffolk should prioritize building a replacement for Birdsong Gym to give local youth opportunities. “I cannot think of a better way to honor AJ,” he said.
Donations to the Sgt. AJ Parker Memorial Scholarship can be made through the Suffolk Foundation at www.suffolkfoundation.org or by calling 757-923-9090. Applications open in February.
