Alvin Walter Parker, 83, of 169 Pin Oak Drive, husband of Edith McJunkin Parker, died Tuesday, August 25, 2009 at Self Regional Medical Center. Born in Pickens County, he was a son of the late Ira W. and Mary Reeves Parker. He received his degree in journalism from the University of South Carolina and was formerly employed by the Greenwood Bureau of The Greenville News. Al served as Executive Director of the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce and was the founder of The SC Festival of Flowers. Following his retirement from the Chamber, he served as Executive Director for the SC Funeral Directors Association and then as a sales representative with Lunsford-Wilson Co. He was a US Navy veteran of World War II. Al served on the board of the Old Ninety Six District of the SC Tourism Committee and was awarded The Order of the Palmetto in 1992 by Gov. Carroll Campbell. He was a member of Pickens Mill Baptist Church. Surviving is his wife of the home; two daughters, Beth P. Eakin and her husband, Tony, and Lisa P. Crawford and her husband, David, and a son, Wally Parker and his wife, Lila, all of Greenwood; a sister, Sherry Axler and her husband, Mark, of Jacksonville, FL; two brothers, Wilton D. �Perk� Parker and his wife, Jo, of Brevard, NC and Harold W. �Talkie� Parker of Hickory, NC; and five grandchildren, Erin Eakin, Anna Crawford, Lauren Parker, Allison Parker and Cody Eakin. He was preceded in death by twin daughters, who died at birth.