Robert B. Parker was one of the most prolific and acclaimed authors in American literature, publishing over 70 best-selling books over 40 years. Creator of the memorable private-investigator, Spenser as well as Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall, Bob won awards and fans around the world. Here in Boston, he was a hometown hero, an adoring husband to his wife, Joan, and a regular fixture at social events for the causes they championed.

We are launching The Robert B. Parker Fund at Community Servings to recognize his long commitment to the work of Community Servings and to offer his friends and fans a place online to post a comment or remembrance. Appropriate postings will also be included in his archives at Boston University, for the benefit of future researchers. Gifts in his memory can be made online or mailed to Community Servings at the address below.

Bob and his wife, Joan were early supporters of Community Servings, the only home-delivered meals program for the critically ill in New England. Established 20 years ago, as a non-profit program for people ill with HIV/AIDS, when there were no medicines beyond a high calorie, nutritious meal, the nutrition agency expanded its scope 7 years ago to feed those with any critical illness who were unable to feed themselves or their families. As a two-time breast-cancer survivor herself, Joan could understand the isolation and struggles of our clients, and believed that a home-style meal delivered to the doorstep of a sick neighbor was a wonderful gift of love.

 
Any ardent fan knows that Bob's great love was Joan H. Parker, his wife of 54 years and the model for Spenser's lover, Susan Silverman. Joan has been an inspirational board leader for Community Servings, and over the years, Bob and Joan offered us the opportunity to capitalize on the Parker name to benefit the cause when HIV was still controversial and our staff and volunteers were working in relative obscurity. For 18 years, they hosted parties in their home, lent the "Spenser" glamour to our fundraising events, and co-chaired TWO capital campaigns to support our 1996 and 2007 building campaigns, including construction of the Joan H. Parker Building in Jamaica Plain, MA.

We are so grateful for their friendship, support and leadership, and will miss Bob dearly. We hope that friends and fans will enjoy this impromptu tribute, post their own remembrances and consider a gift in Bob's memory to Community Servings.