Mary M. Parks' Obituary
Mary Myrtle Elizabeth Parks was born May 13, 1934, in Frogtown, GA to Emery Spear Holloway and Ruth White of Dahlonega, GA. Mary passed away June 3, 2023, at Riviera Palms Nursing Center in Palmetto, FL. She celebrated her 89th birthday on May 13, 2023. She was raised primarily by her beloved Uncle John and her Aunt Martha, siblings of her mother Ruth, in the Appalachian Mountains of northern Georgia near Dahlonega. Mary described many pleasant memories of her childhood with Uncle John and Aunt Martha, including gardening, learning how to can and freeze fresh southern fruits and vegetables, baking bread, and playing with her younger sister Evelyn. She often made comments about Georgia being “God’s Country”.
After leaving Georgia, Mary moved to Kansas where she lived many years of her life and raised her family. She had been married to Bill Parks of Fredonia and together, they had raised Bill’s children, Darcy and Barb, as well as Mary’s daughter, Betty. Mary had worked at St. Margaret’s Mercy Hospital (now known as Fredonia Regional Hospital) for several years as a nursing assistant. Later in life, she worked for Emerson Electric from which she retired, then went on to work for Walmart of Chanute, KS and Independence, KS after retirement. Her grandson Travis Walker and his wife Kellene moved Mary to Palmetto, FL in 2020 to be closer to them and care for Mary.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Emery Spear Holloway and Ruth White Holloway, her beloved Uncle John and Aunt Martha, her younger sister Evelyn Stamper, her loving daughter Betty Jean Parks-Hladky, and an infant son who died shortly after birth. She is survived by her brother Tex Ritter Holloway of Leesburg, FL, her stepchildren, Darcy Parks of O’Fallon, Missouri and Barbara Fishgrab of Perry, Florida, her grandchildren Travis Walker and his wife Kellene of Palmetto, Florida, Phil Fishgrab of Clovis, New Mexico, Charity Fishgrab of Las Vegas, New Mexico, and Tabitha Fishgrab of Perry Florida, as well as her great grandchildren, Melaina Walker of Sarasota, FL and Ty Walker of Apollo Beach, FL.
Cremation has been requested, a graveside memorial will be held on Monday, October 2, 2023 at 10:30 AM at the Fredonia City Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Countryside Funeral Home 420 S. 20th St., P.O. Box 247, Fredonia, KS 66736
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