Iris Dawn Parker

September 11, 1964 - January 23, 2021

Iris Dawn Parker, age 56, of Painesville, died January 23, 2021 at University Hospital in Cleveland. She was born September 11, 1964 in Washington, North Carolina. Iris worked as an international photographer, artist, and educator who spent ten years living and working in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her hobbies included photo journalism, documentary photography and youth mentorship. She enjoyed conducting photography and life skills workshops in communities all over South Africa and the United States. Along with being a curator of photography, Iris also worked in the Cultural Studies Program at Columbia College in Chicago, Illinois. Iris was a Fulbright Memorial Fellow Scholar (Japan). Survivors include her siblings, Lee (Sandra) Coffee, Sam (Ann) Parker Jr., Darnell (Bud) Woods, Omar Parker, Donna (Sly) Link, Mary V. Parker, Frank Parker, Alveno (Tammy) Parker, Nicole Manning, and a host of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Sam and Mary Parker, siblings, Eleanor Parker, Alvin “JuJu” Parker, and Dora Lee Parker. A memorial service in memory of Iris will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, January 31, 2021 at the Lake Erie Church of God, 3050 Antioch Rd., Perry, OH 44081. The family will receive friends from 3 p.m. until the time of the service on Sunday. Private family inurnment will be in Riverside Cemetery, Painesville, at a later date. Arrangements entrusted to the Brunner Sanden Deitrick Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 8466 Mentor Ave., Mentor, OH 44060. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to the Sisters in Cinema (Chicago, Illinois) GoFund Me Account. Please offer condolences at www.brunners.com.