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Bill Parks died
Date: 2026-Feb-03 Author: Barry Shatzman
Bill Parks died.
Damn... that sounds harsh, doesn't it? But trust me... he'd be disappointed in me if i told you any other way.
When Bill taught news writing at Ohlone College, he taught that people die - and that's what you write.
Bill didn't pass away. Maybe Sonny Jurgensen passed... but definitely not Bill.
Nor did he expire. He didn't cross over a multi-colored bridge. The lord didn't call him home. He didn't earn any wings. There's no other world he moved on to.
He just fucking died. And it just fucking sucks.
Bill was more than my journalism professor. He was more than one of my co-founders of News In Five. He was more than anything a great friend.
I spent many holidays having dinner at his house. I watched fireworks from his boat in Jack London Square. After i moved from California, he'd insist i stay with him whenever i came back to visit. During the pandemic, we'd meet for outdoor lunches when i was in California. He bought me small presents that i still use.
There's something i have to say right here. Nobody was just Bill's friend. Because if you were his friend, you were his family. He acted that way, and you felt that way.
We also tried to solve the world's problems. Bill was one of the best thinkers i've ever known. Whatever was going on in the country, he offered perspectives that brought together the complexities of how people think and communicate. He'd laugh if i called him a genius, but he was a genius. We started a discussion group at which all political persuasions were welcome, but name-calling and disrespect were not. We were there to learn from each other.
News in Five might not have happened without Bill. True it was my creation, but someone as accomplished as Bill agreeing to help told me i really had something worth doing. He also helped get Rob Dennis - another former student of Bill's - to decide to help out. Back when we all were in California, early planning meetings included me, Bill, Rob, and beer.
I was one of several of his students who later would come back and give talks to his mass media classes. He was the only teacher ever who had to put up with both me and my son in classes. And i'm pretty sure i was the only student for who he ever graded a paper by calling it "sick and twisted".
The crazy thing about bringing that up here is that the assignment was to write our own obituary. i decided my demise would involve every nutty character he made up for the class to write news stories about. Except for Princess the World's Most Annoying Cat, who was my real annoying cat.
So back to the present. i knew Bill's health wasn't good. I knew he was in the hospital. But i still was floored by the text from him that said "Doing assisted suicide."
"Oh no. It's that bad?" i replied.
At least i recovered quick enough to instantly tell him that was the dumbest question i ever asked anyone. So he couldn't reply with something like, "No, but they were having a Lincoln's Birthday special."
Actually Bill wouldn't've said that. He always was direct, but the most laid-back person i ever met. When he first told me about his serious health issue, his only comment was, "It's been a good ride."
Crewing for part of his ride has meant the world to me. Now i can only hope i was wrong and there really is another world he moved on to. Because it sure would be cool to sail with him again.