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Virginia sportsmen lost a good friend this weekend. Gene Parker of Bedford died Saturday after a tough battle with cancer.

If you spent much time at the Peaks of Otter you probably knew Gene, or at least had crossed paths with him. He was the Ranger supervisor up there until his retirement a few years ago.

Gene was known for his commitment to getting kids (and adults) outdoors and keeping them out there. In fact, I met Gene through the Bedford Outdoor Sportsmen's Association. It's a small group that raises money to support youth outdoor programs.

Gene and I were both on the BOSA board when the group was formed early this decade. My stint was pretty short but it was a pleasure to see Gene at the meetings and to see the effort he put into his volunteer efforts. That smile on his face in the picture here? I can't remember a time when he didn't have that great expression.

Every year BOSA puts on a modest outdoor show and for years Gene was the guy in charge of putting together the bear display.

Now, Gene could have simply hung a bunch of stuffed bear heads on a piece of peg board and been done with it. But, no. He would show up at the Bedford Armory with a truckload of freshly cut mountain laurel and other greenery and put together an awesome display.

Gene was also known as an excellent tracker, and not just of game. He knew how to find people, and that's pretty much a lost art.

He was an avid hunter, and bear hunting with hounds was his passion. Bear hunters sometimes get a bad rap, but Gene was one of those guys who could change a cynic's opinion. His hunting group killed few of the bears they treed each season. They were in it for the excitement of the chase.

Deer biologist Matt Knox, who knew Gene well, liked to call him "One of the last of the real mountain men." He always knew exactly where he was, no matter how thick it was.

Gene could also cover some ground. Gary Arrington, who's now with Hunters for the Hungry, tells the story of trying to follow Gene as Gene followed the hounds on a bear hunt. Gary affectionately says it seemed like Gene was trying to kill him, and that he'd never seen a man who could move so fast through the thick mountain underbrush.

I talked with Gary yesterday and he said that Gene was just recently talking about wanting to get behind the bear hounds again this fall. He even had asked his family to go buy his hunting license.

Anyone who had the pleasure of knowing Gene Parker would not be surprised by that story.

Here's the obituary from Today's Roanoke Times:

Eugene (Gene) Parker, 61, of Bedford, passed away at his home on Saturday, August 16, 2008, with his wife and daughters by his side. Gene had fought a courageous battle with cancer. Born June 13, 1947, in Roanoke, he was a son of the late William Eugene "Billy" Parker and Ethel Foster Parker. Gene was a loving son, devoted husband and the world's number one dad. He had a passion for bear and deer hunting and was a member of the Bedford Outdoors Sportsmen's Association, the National Wild Turkey Federation and shared his love of the outdoors and hunting with young people and adults with special needs. In addition to his love of the outdoors, Gene was also a tactical tracking instructor for T.T.O.S. and the National Awareness Tracking School. Gene was a member of Salem United Methodist Church, an Army veteran of Viet Nam and was retired as Supervisory Park Ranger with the National Park Service at the Peaks of Otter. He was also a member of the Blue Ridge Parkway Employees and Alumni Association. Gene is survived by his wife of 31 years, Julie Savage Parker; two daughters, Jamie H. Parker, of Monmouth, Ore., and Kelly Jean Mayhew and her husband, Chris, of Bedford; a brother, Joe Parker and his wife, Jackie, of Bedford; a sister, Ginny Parker Holman and her husband, Bill, of Charlottesville; a niece, Sharon Holman; three nephews, Joseph Parker Jr., Michael Parker and David Parker; his mother-in-law, Dorothy H. Savage, of Bedford; and two brother-in-laws, Stewart Savage and his wife, Carolyn, and Vann Savage and his wife, Linda. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, August 21, 2008, at Main Street United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jack Davis officiating. Interment will follow in Oakwood Cemetery with Military Graveside Rites by American Legion Post #16. Memorial contributions may be made to Salem United Methodist Church, c/o Bonnie Dagenhart, 1722 Broadway Ave., Bedford, Va. 24523 or The National D-Day Memorial Foundation, P.O. Box 77, Bedford, Va. 24523. The family will receive friends from 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, August 20, 2008, at Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Bedford, Va., 540-586-3443. To send condolences online, please visit www.tharpfuneralhome.com.