PROVO – David “Doc” Parkinson was a people person.

He had a smile for every individual who entered a Magleby’s Restaurant, no matter where it was located. For 35 years that smile has been an icon of Provo, of good service and good food.

Doc died Thursday in his sleep at home. He was 83.

His son, Richard Parkinson, said Doc broke his hip about six weeks ago and was recuperating from the injury. However, he was also suffering from an aggressive reappearance of melanoma cancer that showed up about eight months ago.

“He fought melanoma cancer for 30 years,” Richard said. “When he was first diagnosed he was given six weeks to live.”

That is how Doc lived his life every day — to its fullest.

Parkinson got his nickname not because he knew how to operate a good restaurant, but because before he smiled for clients, he helped clients smile at him — as a dentist.  He graduated from Georgetown Dental School and had a private dental practice in his hometown of Bethesda, Md., for 20 years from 1961-1981.

“He loved being a dentist,” said Lenora Parkinson, Doc’s wife of 61 years. “He used to dance back and forth between the rooms, and he had large fish tanks for the patients.”

He met up with some college buddies from Brigham Young University, where he went to school, and they decided to open a restaurant in their old college town of Provo. 

“They all got together to open a new restaurant,” said Doc’s daughter Ina Gayson. “They wanted to do something that wouldn’t cause stress, little did they know.

“Dad was first a silent investor when the restaurant was in the Cotton Tree location. Then they wanted him there every night.”

In the years since, he has served his school and alumni through the food from his restaurant. Doc has given many free dinners, known and unknown, to the public to help those less fortunate. Never on paper plates, but always on china.

Besides his beloved wife Lenora and his five children, 31 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren, Doc had two other loves — his church and his motorcycle.

He loved doing missionary work for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served two full-time missions in France, and then with his wife in England. He was also influential in changing lives and bringing the gospel to many families in Maryland, and in helping young folks meet and marry through working at the restaurants here in Utah.

Doc also was a free spirit. He loved hitting the open road on his Honda 500. However, he rarely went alone.

“He had three of them and would take employees and friends with him,” Richard said. “He knew every nook and cranny of Utah.”

He made memories with his family on those bikes, and one time had eight of them on the road with two vans full of grandkids following behind all the way to Monument Valley.

“He didn’t care who it was,” Richard said. “From May to September he would check the high pressure on the weather. If there was high pressure, that meant no rain and he would take off on a three-day trip.

“He was recognized by Honda because all of his motorcycles hit 250,000 miles.”

Doc wouldn’t ride with a leather jacket but was always decked out with a red bandana tied around his head and heavy blue coveralls.

“He loved people so much,” Gayson said.

They in turn have left message after message of love and memories on his Facebook pages since learning of his death.

“I hope I have the charismatic spirit he did,” said grandson Dylan Parkinson, 22. “He taught me how to smile.”

He also taught his offspring how to work. Most of them had the opportunity to work in the restaurants. And if they weren’t working well, they were told they should find something to do.

“He’d say if you’re not busy, then look it,” Dylan said.

Doc will be remembered at 11 a.m. Saturday at services to be held at the LDS chapel at 3050 Mojave Lane in Provo. Visiting with the family will begin at 10 a.m. There is no viewing.

Donations should be made to the LDS Missionary Fund.