William G. Parkos Scholarship Endowment

As many of you know, William George “Bill” Parkos, 70, of Greeley passed away on Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at North Colorado Medical Center. Bill graduated from Mankato State College (now University). He was awarded a National Science Foundation Grant to begin working on graduate degrees in Environmental Health at the University of Minnesota and a United States Public Health Service Fellowship to conduct pollution studies on the Great Lakes.

In 1970, Bill was hired at the request of Dr. Bryan Cooke to teach at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) to help build the health education and environmental health programs. At UNC, he was the Master of Public Health graduate coordinator, received the Graduate Advisor of the Year award and retired in 1998 as professor emeritus. He served on the Colorado School Health Council and was a member of the American Public Health Association.

Bill Parkos also began a local construction company, Craftsman Decorating, Inc. specializing in painting, wall covering, hard-impact wall protection, and wood finishing for commercial and medical facilities.  He was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Greeley and served on the Lutheran Campus Ministry Board and on the Benevolence Committee. Bill also worked with the Cub Scout Program with his sons as active scouts. He enjoyed traveling, fishing trips to Canada and spending time with the family and grandchildren. He enjoyed many challenges and was always ready to meet them head on.

As a remembrance of Bill and the legacy he left in the community and at the University of Northern Colorado, we would appreciate your assistance with a contribution to the University of Northern Colorado Foundation toward the William G. Parkos Scholarship Endowment.