Caption: John Parkyn, pictured, was the longest-serving organist at Trinity Episcopal Parish in St. Augustine. In his estate plan, Parkyn created a series of funds to benefit local church organ appreciation, including at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd (organ pictured right), in honor of his wife, who passed away in 2004.
For John Parkyn, church music has been a constant throughout his life.
Born in Palatka, John discovered his love of the pipe organ at an early age and learned it on his own, in secret. When he first performed at a church service, it was a surprise to his own family.
“My mother about fell off the pew because she didn’t even know I was learning to play,” he said.
John now lives in St. Augustine, retired from a long career as a public school teacher in St. Johns County. His wife, Jane, who died in 2004, was also a teacher and shared John’s love of music. Jane performed as a contralto soloist at Trinity Episcopal Parish, where John was the longest-serving organist in the church’s history.
Beginning in 2010, he worked with The Community Foundation to make a series of planned gifts to establish funds with appreciated assets, leveraging a smart investment he made in Apple stock.
“I feel like I’ve been blessed, and I’m glad to be able to share what I have. My wife would be so pleased. We didn’t have this kind of money when she was living.”
The John R. and Jane K. Parkyn Endowment for Music will support an annual organ recital in the couple’s names at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, as well as a series of other funds dedicated to supporting the organ at various churches. He especially wanted to ensure that the funds would remain dedicated to the organ and not be put to other uses by the church.
“I knew that if I gave it to the Foundation, it would be in good hands,” he said.