Carrol Johnson

I remember Richie as a fun loving guy who really liked and was interested in cars.  I think he was in auto mechanics class.  According to the Social Security Administration, Richie was born 14 May 1949 and died February 1980.

Pat Clooney (King)

(The following comment is from Richie's friend - Amy Krams.  We thank you, Amy for sharing your memories & for the kind words.)

I met Ryche Lee Parker in the summer of 1979 at a Country and Western bar in Houston, Texas. It was that week that he tried out to be an extra in the movie, The Urban Cowboy, starring John Travolta. Ryche was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Parker and brother to his three siblings Tami, Jerry (Tree), and Cyndi Parker.  He was an excellent Rugby player, captain of the Houston Heathens Rugby Club, and had toured England as a player on the U.S.A.  Rugby Team.  Ryche was a great athlete, but probably known even better by his friends for his wonderful sense of humor, and the numerous nick names he gave them. “Tree” was the nick name he gave his brother because of his height. Some of his good friends were Bebop, Yo, Dusty, Papa, Buck, Red, and so many more. Ryche was fun, always pulling a group together for a beer at Westcott’s after rugby practices. He was a great friend…loved hanging out, listening and dancing to country music, and rarely went out without his boots, hat and one of his crazy bright colored bandanas.  Ryche loved his family, and often found any reason to send a great greeting card, and he wrote beautifully both with the words he chose and his penmanship. 

On February 24, 1980 at the age of 30, Ryche died due to a gun shoot wound to the head from a road raged driver. During the trial, the shooter claimed that we (Ryche and I) had our bright lights on while traveling behind him, his brother, and their dates.  

The trial was short… the killer went to jail…and we were left stunned with disbelief from our loss…

Shortly after Ryche’s passing, The Urban Cowboy premiered…And there he was, full of life… on the dance floor, dancing with his boots, hat, bright bandana, and probably a cold Miller Beer close by.

Amy Krams -  (I'm not a former student of Waltrip, just an old friend of Ryche. I did a search this morning using only his name & found your school’s  memorial site...)

Pat Rathburn

 I have often wondered what happen to Richie. He was a real good friend of mine,  I use to work out with him at Presidents health club on the Katy freeway on Sundays.He use to call me RED,, back then because of my hair. Just a super great person, one in your life you will never forget . I would like to talk to Amy Krams , if could  ?.

                                                                            PAT RATHBURN

Pat Clooney (King)

As seen on Facebook -

Gene Parnell

I'm pretty late to this effort on Richie. I returned to Texas in 2011 but didn't know what had happened to him until just last year. Some of my memories of him come from 4th period PE our senior year. We always had to dress out and sit in line for the coaches to come in and do role call. Coach Burton would often walk in and yell "Parnell, Perkins, and Parker" duck walk around the gym. Half the time we hadn't even done anything. He just assumed that we had been up to something before he walked in. And, once in a while he'd catch a couple of us while the other got away with it. He always got the alphabetic order wrong. We just figured he liked the sound. They almost put the three of us together that way for graduation because they were so used to it. Richie was a great guy and I can still see his silly grin. Whoever posted the couple pictures of him on this trail....thank you. I hadn't seen him in a very long time.  E. M. "Beau" Parnell

Patricia Tumis (Schleider)

Richie always had a smile on his face like he was up to something...lol...RIP