Walter Parazaider: key obituary facts
Is Walter Parazaider dead? Yes. Walter Parazaider died on June 17, 2026, at age 81.
Cause of death: Walter Parazaider's cause of death was reported as Alzheimer's disease.
What was Walter Parazaider known for?
He was known as American musician.
More about Walter Parazaider
Born: 14 March 1945.
Place of birth: Chicago.
Gender: male.
Occupation: jazz musician, saxophonist, clarinetist, flautist, guitarist.
Nationality: United States.
Education: DePaul University, Proviso West High School.
Career began: 1966.
Genres: Rock, blues, R&B, jazz fusion.
Instruments: Saxophone, flute, clarinet, guitar.
Years active: 1966–2017.
Formerly of: Chicago.
Walter Parazaider, an American Hall of Fame woodwind musician and founding member of Chicago, died on June 17, 2026, at age 81 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease.
Born in Chicago on March 14, 1945, and raised in Maywood, Illinois, he learned clarinet as a child and went on to study classical clarinet performance at DePaul University. Parazaider helped shape Chicago’s horn-driven sound as part of the band’s brass and woodwind section, playing saxophone, flute, clarinet and, at times, guitar.
His career began in 1966 and continued until 2017.