John M. Parker papers, 1943-1997

John M. Parker, explorer, geologist, geophysical interpreter, and oil finder, was born in Manhattan, Kansas, in 1920. He received a B.S. in geology from Kansas State University in 1941. He also attended undergraduate courses at the University of Minnesota and the University of Wyoming and completed graduate courses at Kansas State.

After a short period as a geologist with the Kansas Highway Commission, Parker worked with the United States Public Roads Administration on the Alaska Highway. He then did field work on the Canol Project with Imperial Oil Ltd. in the Northwest Territories of Canada. In 1944 he became district geologist with Stanolind Oil and Gas Company. Parker joined Kirby Petroleum Company in 1952 as manager of their Rocky Mountain and Pacific Coast Operations and subsequently became Vice-President—Exploration in Houston, Texas. He then moved to Denver, Colorado, in 1974 where he served as Vice-President—Exploration for Northwest Exploration Company. In 1975 Parker began a private geological consulting business in Denver. He gained broad experience in exploring many geologic provinces, including areas outside North America such as Ecuador and Jamaica.

Parker is a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, serving as president during 1982-83. He is also a past-president of the Billings Geological Society and Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists. In 1979 the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists honored him with the Explorer of the Year Award, and Kansas State University presented him with a Distinguished Service in Geology Award in 1983. Parker has published many papers relating to the occurrence of oil and gas, including many structural and stratigraphic papers in the Rocky Mountain Region.