Matthew Brand Parker

Matthew Brand Parker passed away October 14, 2024, at his home in Arlington, Virginia. He is survived by his wife, Lea Alice Lancaster Parker; sons Knox George Parker and Logan Lancaster Parker; and his mother, Georgia Lee Parker. He was preceded in death by his father, George Allen Parker.

Matt was born on May 2, 1977, at Sibley Memorial Hospital in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Derwood, Maryland. He attended Col. Zadok Magruder High School in Rockville, Maryland, and received a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Tennessee in 2001. 

After college, Matt worked for one company his entire career—a fact that he was proud to share. While at Shalom Baranes Associates, an architecture firm in D.C., he worked on several significant projects, including overseeing the Phoenix Renovation at the Pentagon following the 9/11 attacks; the Columbia Residences condominiums, which was formerly the Columbia Hospital for Women, where his father was born; the CityCenterDC luxury apartment buildings; and City Ridge, a 10-acre urban mixed-use village. He especially enjoyed working on his final project, the MedStar Georgetown University Hospital Surgical Pavilion. 

In 2005, Matt started his own company, Reinventing Reality Photographic Collages (www.reinventing-reality.com), as an outlet for his artistic expression. What started as a hobby constructing distinctive photo collages grew into a thriving art business. Matt created 185 unique photo collages; displayed his photo collages at 325 art shows; and sold more than 15,000 pieces of his artwork in total.

Matt’s greatest love was his family. He was a devoted son and husband. He celebrated the similarities he shared with his wife of 19 years, as well as their differences, being from two rival Southeastern Conference universities (they met at an SEC football party). He was a proud father, cheering on his sons in their basketball, football, and lacrosse games to the point that he developed a reputation as “one of the loudest parents on the sidelines.” 

Matt was a breast cancer survivor who inspired many others to continue fighting with a supportive and cheerful smile and a slogan that has become a family rallying cry: Hammer On! He participated in a meditation program through Sibley Memorial Hospital that he credits for helping give him the ability to endure long medical scans and keep a positive attitude. After attending Reel Recovery, a program that helps men dealing with cancer through fly fishing, Matt became a volunteer photographer and developed close relationships with people in the program. He loved and showed appreciation for his medical care team at John Hopkins Sibley and John Hopkins Baltimore. 

Matt was baptized at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Columbus, Mississippi. He was a member of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Arlington, Virginia.

Memorial services will take place Saturday, October 19, 2024, at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 2609 N Glebe Rd, Arlington, VA, 22207. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. followed by the funeral service at 10:00 a.m. Graveside services will take place at 11:30 a.m. at Columbia Gardens Cemetery, 3411 Arlington Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Advent Funeral & Cremation Services in Falls Church. Flowers can be sent to St. Mary’s or the family, and Company Flowers in Arlington is the local recommended florist.

Memorial donations may be made to the Virginia529 education savings plans for Matt’s children at www.virginia529.com/gifting (Knox gift ID N19O6YO and Logan gift ID IJZ0O1X), Reel Recovery at www.reelrecovery.org/donate, or to the Virginia Tech chapter of Camp Kesem (a summer camp for kids affected by a parent with cancer) at donate.kesem.org/give.