Carolyn E. Parks, who grew up in Austin as the daughter of Vivian Roberts and Elzie L. Johnson and raised three children here with Walter Reed "Sonny" Leonard, passed away in Austin on May 21 after a short illness. She was 77 years old.
A graduate of Travis High School in Austin, class of 1955, Carolyn worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone and then as an administrative assistant at the Texas Rehabilitation Commission. She married Sonny in 1954 at Central Christian Church and together they raised Randy, who still lives in Austin; Sherill of Washington, DC, and Kelly of Trophy Club, TX. Sonny died in November, 1965. Carolyn's brother, Elzie L. Johnson, Jr., of Tyler, passed away in December.
An active member of the Manchaca Baptist Church, she loved dancing, being with family at Camp Ben McCulloch, and attending Elgin, TX High School football games with her husband, Walter Parks. In addition to her husband and children she is survived by eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 25, at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 2620 South Congress Ave, Austin. Visitation will be Sunday, May 24, 6 to 8 pm at the same location. Interment will be at the Austin Memorial Cemetery.
