DOROTHY FAYE PARKS

LAMAR- Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, at Daniel Funeral Home for Dorothy Faye (Miller) Parks, 90, Lamar, who died Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, at Cox Barton County Hospital in Lamar. Burial will follow in Memory Gardens Cemetery.

The family will receive friends prior to the service, beginning at 9 a.m.

Contributions are suggested and made payable to the Barton County Memorial Park, in care of the funeral home.

Condolences may be shared at www.dfhlamar.com.

Survivors include two sons, David Parks and wife Miranda and Darin Parks and two daughters, Deana Baker and husband Bill and Denny Massa and husband Russ, all of Lamar; eight grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; one brother, Gerry Miller and wife Brenda; a sister-in-law, Jane Miller and a host of nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Dwight; one brother, Don Miller; one sister, Vicki Miller and one grandson, Mike Vestal.

Mrs. Parks was born Aug. 10, 1933, in Claremore, Okla., at the home of Roy Miller and Mary Ella (Hooper) Miller, as the oldest of four children. Attending country grade schools in the Milford area, she graduated in 1951 from Lamar High School. She married Dwight Parks on March 5, 1955, in Carthage, beginning a union that would span over 66 years until his death on Nov. 5, 2021.

After high school she went to work for the Monett Times newspaper as a typesetter. Once Dwight was out of the Air Force, the two started dating and married only six weeks after their first date. Together they owned several businesses; Parks Furniture and Hardware, Lamar License Bureau, D-X Service Station and Smith-Glynn Callaway Optical Shop in Springfield. Mrs. Parks worked for the Lamar Democrat for many years as a Linotype operator until the late 1970's, when at that time she found her real calling, being a childcare provider. It is estimated that she had influence on several hundred little boys and girls, giving the parents ease of mind as she watched their precious children. Hardly ever was she sick and became the quick go-to in the Lamar area when someone was looking for a sitter. She had a firm hand and was not afraid to use it, a soft tongue and hand when one needed their boo-boo kissed and a hug, whilst making an influence on 10 to15 kids a day, she still had time to bake cookies weekly, make all the beds in the house daily and assure no dust was allowed to settle. After the kids left for the day she always had a hot meal on the table, then would do the evening chores that needed done.

Amongst the activities that made her the happiest was watching her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren participate in any and all activities. Baseball and softball were among her most favorite sports, which she could always be found sitting on her lawn chair with her flip pad and pen, keeping the scorekeeper honest! She also loved working in her flower beds and making sure her yard was perfectly manicured. She took much pride when she would receive Yard of the Month from the Master Gardeners and was so proud when they would place in the City of Lamar's Christmas lighting contest for Ward One.

After retirement she found much joy in volunteering for 17 years at both Truman Healthcare and Maple Living Center, where she would call Bingo for the residents. She also enjoyed playing her Q-Chord and singing with Richard Ryan's band; going to Joplin every Saturday hunting bargains at the flea market; and making special cross-stitched birth announcements for all of her children, grandchildren and first 17 great-grandchildren. Unfortunately, dementia took control of her mind so she wasn't able to finish the last four great-grandchildren’s announcements.