Walt Parker, retired UNT System vice chancellor of governmental affairs who worked at North Texas from 1979 to 2004, died Jan. 22. His long career included service as a teacher, coach, builder, legislator and administrator. He played football as a student at North Texas and worked for 42 years as an American Football League and National Football League official and observer of officials, participating in more than 300 games, including two Super Bowls. He was inducted into the UNT Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995 for his football accomplishments. Parker was a fitness officer in the Army Air Corps during World War II and later served during the Korean War. He began his first term as a Texas state representative for Denton and Cooke counties in 1969 and served five consecutive terms. In 1979, he joined North Texas as an assistant to the president and served as vice president and later vice chancellor for governmental affairs. He played a key role in securing funding for university initiatives such as the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science. He also was instrumental in the establishment of the Texas Higher Education Assistance Fund, which provides money for construction, renovation and equipment to universities outside the Permanent University Fund, including UNT. He married his college sweetheart, Mildred Brock Parker (’40, ’70 M.A.), who died last year. Parker earned his master’s degree in public school administration from Texas Christian University.