Joe Parks

[David Deary]

It is with great sadness we report that Joe has passed away yesterday.

Joe was a stalwart of Kilmarnock chess club and Ayrshire chess until 2015 when he moved to Glasgow.

Funeral arrangements to be announced when we know them.

Our condolences to his family.

Joe was a great guy, I remember our games in Ayrshire fondly where I more often than not came of worse. He was always willing to go over the game and even when we weren’t playing one another we took an interest in one another’s games. I remember his stewardship of the Kilmarnock Chess Club website where he would update the league results and Ayrshire championship results before the official website! It was the go-to place for the updated league table, the goings-on in Ayrshire chess and he even played through positions on the website, it was always a worry if Joe was watching your game intently as a post mortem could end up on the Kilmarnock Chess Club website. 
 
Latterly, we played together at Bellshill chess club when he had moved up to Glasgow. We had some good moments then too, winning the Spens Cup in 2018 against Edinburgh Civil Service in the final and beating Kilmarnock Chess Club along the way. Joe played for Bellshill from the 2017-18 season and played with us up until the pandemic. He was unbeaten for Bellshill in the Spens and for our foray into the Richardson when we came unstuck against Edinburgh.

I am terribly saddened to hear about his passing and offer my condolences to his family.

Just received the below from Iain Muir, another Kilmarnock CC stalwart via Hamish Glen:

Sad news indeed, I knew Joe for many years as a team mate, opponent and fellow competitor. His companionship and support over 9 Benidorm campaigns was invaluable. I was proud and honoured to call him my friend. Unfortunately we never did get that final lunch in Killie at the Park.

He will be very much missed and fondly remembered, not only by his family but more widely within the chess community.

Ian Muir

Kilmarnock Chess Club