Elizabeth B. Parks' Obituary
Elizabeth B. PARKS, 87, died peacefully at her home in Lakewood on November 20, 2004. She will be remembered as a person who loved being with family and friends and traveling the world. She was born May 12, 1917, the second child of John Cook and Anah Gooch Bell, in Bellingham, Washington. She attended Sherman Elementary and Mason Intermediate Schools before graduating from Stadium High School in 1936. She completed one year at the University of Puget Sound before work and family life prevented her from continuing. She returned in 1958 and graduated in 1963 from UPS with a B. A. in Education. She began teaching that year in the Clover Park School District beginning with first grade at John Dower Elementary. She later taught third grade at John Dower before teaching at Tillicum Elementary during a career that spanned over 20 years. She married Gerald T. Parks in 1941and lived in Tacoma until 1947 when they moved to Lakewood. She loved her home on Steilacoom Lake and though she traveled extensively never gave a thought of living anywhere else. Her travels took her to all parts of the globe including the Holy Land, Australia, Mexico, Canada and Europe as well as her favorite countries, England and Scotland. She visited most of the United States and particularly liked Alaska with its rich pioneer heritage, wildlife and native culture. Bette, as she was known to most, devoted her life to her family, her friends and her church. A lifelong Episcopalian, she belonged to St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Lakewood and was active in the Church Office, Choir and Altar Guild as well as the Church School. During her active life, she also gave her time to the Tacoma Symphony and Tacoma Town Hall. She was a member of the Point Defiance Zoo Society and loved attending Â"ZoobileeÂ". She was initiated into the P.E.O. Sisterhood in 1951 and was a member of Chapter HN in Tacoma. She met regularly with a group of high school girlfriends, and for decades with her "Birthday Club." Bette was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and her brother Edward Bell. She is survived by her four sons, Gerald (and wife Bonny) of Seattle, John (Teri) of Olympia, James (Nancy) of Bremerton, and David (Elaine) of Enumclaw plus ten grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her nieces Sharon Cutler and Karen Hazen and their families. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, November 30th at St. Mary's Church in Lakewood, the Rev. Kent McCulloch, Rector. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Memory of Elizabeth B. Parks to: St. Mary's Altar GuildC/O St. Mary's Church10630 Gravelly Lake Dr. SWLakewood, WA 98499.
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