One of Chicago’s last Black icons Maurice McFolling, 81, chief executive officer of Parker House Sausage Company Inc., died Tuesday.
One of Chicago’s last Black icons Maurice McFolling, 81, chief executive officer of Parker House Sausage Company Inc., died Tuesday. “He had a heart attack and his blood pressure went way up until doctors could not get it down” his wife Belinda told the Defender. “He loved his Parker House and Chicago. You could not get him to move out of the city to save your life.” McFolling, who started working at Parker House in 1947, was named CEO in 2005 after former CEO Daryl Grisham died. The late Judge Henry Parker founded the company in 1919, and it has been a fixture in the Bronzeville community on the South Side ever since. Alderman Pat Dowell, whose third ward includes Parker House, said his passing is “a tremendous loss for the African American community.” She added that her fondest memory of McFolling was when she first met him in 2007, shortly after being elected alderman. “He took me on a tour of the company and pulled out all these old photos, which showcased the rich history of Parker House. He was a warm spirited and funny man.” Parker House, 4659 S. State St., is one of two Black-owned food manufacturers in the country (Chicago-based Reggio’s Pizza Inc. is the other one). Visitation is 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 23 at Apostolic Church of God, 6320 S. Dorchester Ave. followed by the funeral at 11 a.m. He will be buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery and Mausoleum in south suburban Evergreen Park. His wife, four daughters and one son survive him. He had another son, Tyrone, who preceded him in death.
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