Dear Friends and Family: My brother David and I want to thank you for your emails, letters and phone calls re-

  garding our father's passing.  We visited him on September 23 and he was ready to come home, but an infection

  developed.  David and Marilyn saw him on Thursday, September 27 and he was in critical condition. On Friday,

  September 28, around 7 pm, he passed away in the presence of about 18 of his family and friends.  It happened

  so suddenly that we were unable to send out word except by the www.NHRA.com website.  My Dad, brother

  and I were nearly finished with his book on the origins of the SCTA (Southern California Timing Association) and

  after that he was going to finish his memoirs.  Our loss is also a great loss for all those who knew and loved him

  and looked up to him for guidance and wisdom.  Plans to honor him are being formed by the NHRA, family and

  friends.  We look forward to knowing more about him through your memories of him. My brother and I hope to

  complete his life story, though we know it will never match the story that he wanted to leave to us all.  Since his

  lifelong goal in life was to perpetuate safety in racing and to get young people to use safe racetracks and stop

  street racing, that is the way to honor his memory.  In lieu of flowers, if you wish, you can send a donation to the

  Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum and support the museum, whose goals are to foster the ideals for

  which he dedicated his life. Thank you again for your love and support at this time. 

  Richard and David Parks and our families