Raymond Michael Parks

Raymond Michael Parks, age 92, of Dallas, TX, passed away at his home on May 22, 2021. He was born in Rochester, NY, on July 15, 1928, to Helen and Michael. He is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Rita (Mooney); his children and their spouses: David (Nora) Parks, Diane (Rob) Michelson of Boston, MA, Barbara (Richard) Johnson, Michelle (Kevin) Ganter, Greg Parks, and Danny (Rebecca) Parks; his grandchildren: Simon and Philip Parks, Cami and Amanda Michelson, Courtney, Scott and Natalie Johnson, Allison and Emily Ganter, Kyle, Keaton and Kaci Parks, and Jack and Lily Parks; five sisters-in-law: Mary, Jeanne and Sandra Parks, Dolores (James) Gober and Barbara Mooney Moore; and 25 nieces and nephews. Ray was preceded in death by his parents, his two sisters, Emily Howe and Jan (Joe) Zurkey, his seven brothers, Walt (Geraldine), Matt (Mary), Vic, Al, Chet (Martha), Fred and Ralph (Ellen), his in-laws, Charles and Dolores Mooney, his two brothers-in-law, Mickey and Ken Mooney and a few nieces and nephews.

Ray attended St. Stanislaus Parochial School and The Aquinas Institute, both of Rochester, NY. He studied at the University of Notre Dame for two years before enlisting in the US Navy, where he honorably served as a Physician’s Assistant for four years. He later attended the University of Texas at Austin where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English in 1956. Ray worked for 40 years as a Manufacturer’s Representative in Hardware. As he traveled for work, he would gather family genealogy from local libraries and cemeteries. It was a hobby he and Rita shared and continued throughout retirement. While on the road he also researched and sought out a variety of orchids, which he raised in his greenhouse. His passion and dedication to his orchids were featured in a local magazine.

Ray was a devoted and loving family man. For 35 years, St. Patrick’s community was his home away from home. He attended his six children’s many activities and coached several of their sports teams in softball, baseball, and basketball at St. Patrick Catholic School. He was an avid volunteer for the Boy Scouts and he organized and played on the men’s slow pitch softball team for several years. Ray was a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus Council #799. As his children started attending Bishop Lynch High School, he and Rita continued supporting all their extracurricular activities and became a fixture in the stands there from 1976 up until only a couple of years ago. As the number of grandchildren grew, so did the locations of countless games of soccer, volleyball, football, softball, baseball, basketball, and dance recitals and cheer competitions, all of which they made sure to attend. And as all the grandkids will tell you, he would always say “Yay for our side!” no matter the outcome. Ray and Rita spent the last 20 years as members of St. Michael the Archangel parish.

Ray and Rita loved to travel the world, and as devout Catholics, they made sure to stop in every Catholic Church to pray and light a candle. Some of Ray’s favorite trips were the family reunions with his children and grandchildren at different locations across the country. One of the most memorable annual traditions was the day all the grandchildren would spend in Ray and Rita’s kitchen trying to make holiday pies and definitely making a mess.

Ray was a loving and devoted son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend. He loved telling jokes and bringing laughter and smiles to everyone he met. He loved learning and was always willing to discuss books, especially about history and orchids. He listened to classical music, with the exception of his favorite song to sing with the grandchildren, “Let’s Go Fly a Kite” from the Mary Poppins movie. He spoke Latin to anyone who would listen, and he watched his favorite movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” every Christmas. Ray was a golfer, a fisherman, an apple pie baker, a bean picker, a jokester, and most importantly, an incredibly kind and loving man who we are all so grateful to have had in our lives.

Rosary will be at 11:30 am followed by 12:00 pm funeral mass on Wednesday, June 9th, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Dallas, TX. Private burial will take place on June 10th at DFW National Cemetery, Dallas, TX.

The family would like to express their deepest gratitude to all the wonderful caregivers who were such an important part of his life for the past four years. In honor of Ray, please consider donating to either the Dementia Society of America (by mail to PO Box 600, Doylestown, PA 18901 or online www.DementiaSociety.org/donate) or the Wounded Warrior Project (www.support.woundedwarriorproject.org). Thank you.