Helen Bernice Parks, 72, of Humboldt died Saturday, Aug. 21, 2010, at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita.
She was born April 14, 1938, in Iola, to Gilbert J. and Bernice O. (Nelson) DeMeritt. She attended Prairie Rose Country School through seventh grade. She then attended Moran schools, graduating from high school there. She then moved to Topeka and attended Clark’s School of Business.
She worked in the Santa Fe Railroad office until marrying Wayne E. Parks in Moran on Jan. 2, 1960. They lived in California for 12 years before moving to Pond Creek, Okla.
While in California she worked for Prudential Insurance Company; in Oklahoma she worked in human resources at the U.S. Air Force base in Enid. He died Sept. 6, 1976.
Parks moved to Independence and Iola before settling in Humboldt. She enjoyed quilting, making crafts, clerking garage sales and taking care of her two cats.
She is survived by a brother, Everitt “Gene” DeMeritt and his wife, Deloris, Moran; two sisters, Phyllis Berry and Audrey Wagner, both of Iola; six brothers-in-law, Elam Parks, Brent Parks and his wife, Betty, Hal Parks, Rick Parks, Bob Parks and his wife, Lindy, and John Parks; a sister-in-law, Joan Humphrey; five nephews, five nieces and a number of great- nephews and nieces.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapels in Iola.
Graveside services will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at New Home Cemetery in Nash, Okla.
Memorials to Allen County Animal Rescue Facility (ACARF) may be left at the funeral home. Online condolences for the family may be left at iolafuneral.com.
Helen Parks
