Longtime educator, counselor and community leader named Opelika’s September Citizen of Excellent Character
BY MICHELLE KEY
THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA — The city of Opelika recognized Patsy Boyd Parker as its September Citizen of Excellent Character, honoring the month’s character trait of dedication.
Ward 4 Council Member Chuck Beams presented the nomination, describing Parker’s decades of service to students, education, family and the Opelika community.
“When I think about dedication, I can think of few people who embody the word more completely than Miss Patsy Parker,” Beams said.
Born and raised in Opelika, Parker graduated from J.W. Darden High School when she was 16 before attending Alabama State University, where she graduated as valedictorian. She later earned a master’s degree in counselor education from Auburn University.
Parker returned to serve the community she grew up in, teaching English and working as a guidance counselor at J.W. Darden High School. Following integration, she became Opelika High School’s first Black counselor.
Beams said Parker devoted much of her career to helping students continue their education, often assisting them in finding scholarships, financial aid and opportunities they might not otherwise have known about.
One of those students was Opelika Mayor Eddie Smith.
Smith credited Parker with helping him become the first person in his family to attend a four-year university.
“I’m not sure where I would be today without the love and compassion of Miss Patsy Parker,” Smith said, according to Beams.
Beams said Parker not only encouraged students but also expected them to reach their potential.
“She saw potential in young people, and she expected them to live up to it,” Beams said.
Parker often referred to the students she helped as “her babies,” and her service to young people continued well beyond her years in Opelika City Schools (OCS).
After retiring from the school system, Parker continued assisting students at Southern Union State Community College. She later served on the OCS Board of Education, including as chair.
Her community service also extended beyond education.
For decades, Parker served on the Opelika Industrial Development Authority and the Alabama State University Board of Trustees, where she became the board’s first chairwoman. She also served in numerous civic, educational and community organizations.
In 2023, the city honored Parker by naming Patsy Boyd Parker Drive in the Northeast Opelika Industrial Park.
Beams said the people she has helped, not titles and awards, best show her influence.
“You have to look at the thousands of students she encouraged, the young people she helped find the way to college, the educators and community leaders she mentored and the countless people who are better today because Miss Patsy took the time to invest in them,” he said.
Beams also mentioned Parker’s devotion to her family. Parker and her husband, the late Bill Parker, were married for 66 years before his death in 2022.
“Their life together was a beautiful example of love, commitment, family and dedication,” Beams said.
For Beams, the recognition was also personal.
He said Parker mentored him during his time on the OCS Board of Education and has remained a close friend.
“She helped me, encouraged me [and] taught me,” Beams said. “Her friendship is something I cherish deeply.”
Beams said there are thousands of people throughout Opelika and beyond who could share their own stories about how Parker influenced their lives.
“That’s dedication,” he said. “It’s showing up year after year, decade after decade. It’s giving your gifts to others. It’s loving your family faithfully, serving your community tirelessly, investing in the next generation and leaving every person you touch better than you found it.”
After receiving the recognition, Parker said she had not known the honor was coming.
She then shared words she said she has tried to pass along to first-year students throughout the years, encouraging them to do their best regardless of the role they receive.
“We all can’t be captains; some have got to be crew,” Parker said. “There’s something for all of us here. There’s big work to do and lesser [work] to do, and the task you must do is near.”
She closed with the message she said she hopes young people will remember:
“Just be the best, whatever you are.”
