Following John Parham's death in April of 2017 — just a little over a year after his involvement in "American Pickers" Season 14, Episode 18 — Cedar Rapids-based newspaper The Gazette published an obituary highlighting some of his achievements in the motorcycle world, in which he was something of a major player.
Notably, he and his wife Jill opened their first motorcycle store in 1975. This gradually expanded into J&P Cycles, which is a nationwide company that still exists to this day specializing in both motorcycle components and lifestyle apparel. Their son Zachary is currently the company's vice president. Parham likewise helped establish the National Motorcycle Museum in 1989. For his work with both J&P Cycles and the National Motorcycle Museum, he earned a spot in the American Motorcyclist Association Hall of Fame in 2015.
The "American Pickers" Season 18 premiere, which first aired on October 16, 2017 is dedicated to Parham's memory.
