Barbara A Parks

Barbara Ann Parks will always be remembered as a loving wife who shared 68 years with her husband, John L. Parks, dancing, traveling, talking about traveling, and understanding that life is short, so you better join the dance.

You could always count on Barbara to wear bright red lipstick, capture every moment on camera, be the life of the party, and to make people smile. Barbara was a precious mom and Grandma Barbara to all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She graduated from Oklahoma State University in Chemistry/Nutrition when it was common for a professor to say a woman was only in Chemistry class “to find a husband.” Barbara went on to discover her passion for teaching elementary students, and often spoke of her years spent teaching as some of her best.

She loved to experience life even after she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in her early 80s. Barbara learned as much as she could about the disease and kept enjoying life. After her husband, who was her primary caretaker, passed away in 2018, she moved to Austin to be closer to her grandkids. There she found a home and friends at Belmont Village, where she continued to fight Parkinson’s with an unwavering drive to participate in any and all activities.

Our deepest gratitude goes out to all the staff at Belmont for the care, concern and love that was given to Barbara. One particular angel, Naomi, will always be in our hearts. Naomi and Barbara had a special bond and that’s one reason why she continued to fight for so long.

This is a link to a wonderful article published by Oklahoma State about mom and dad. http://okstate.com/news/2018/3/14/mens-basketball-legendary-cowboy-j-l-parks-passed-away.aspx

In lieu of flowers, please donate to any Parkinson’s organization or just have a dance party. Please share stories and funny moments about our sweet and extraordinary Barbara on the American Heritage website.

A visitation for Barbara will be held Thursday, November 4, 2021 from 10:45 AM to 11:45 AM at American Heritage Funeral Home, 10710 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77038. A funeral service will occur Thursday, November 4, 2021 from 11:45 AM to 12:45 PM, 10710 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77038. A committal service will occur Thursday, November 4, 2021 from 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM at Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77038. A reception will occur Thursday, November 4, 2021 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM, 10710 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston, TX 77038.

Serving as pallbearers are Larry Parks, Sam Parks, Mason Price, Don Beaver, Chase Clear and Taylor Livingston.