Granville Wayne Parks

Services for Granville Wayne Parks, 83, Lawrence, will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church. Inurnment will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery. Mr. Parks has been cremated.He died Thursday, Dec. 13, 2007, at Presbyterian Manor.He was born Feb. 9, 1924, in Reading, the son of Granville James and Goldie Myrtle Henry Parks.He graduated from Eskridge High School and attended Kansas University. He worked for Goodyear and retired in 1985. He was a farmer and custom fence builder. After his retirement, he enjoyed gardening and published several books about his life experiences.Parks was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and United Rubber Workers. He served on the Bracket School Board, the Douglas County Association for Retarded Citizens Board, the Douglas County Fair Board and the Lawrence Track Club. He was a candidate for Lawrence City Commission twice.He married Mildred Hays on June 6, 1946, in Lawrence. She preceded him in death on April 29, 1998.Survivors include seven daughters, Annette Ritchie and husband Danny, Lawrence, Joyce Perkins and husband Perry, Lawrence, Jackie Shor and husband Howie, Coral Springs, Fla., Beth Parks, Lawrence, Helen Matthias and husband Mark, Frederick, Md., Marilyn Whorton and husband Paul, Lawrence, Darla Edmiston and husband Rob, Laurel, Md.; 13 grandchildren, Daniel Ritchie and wife Marie, Sarah Ritchie, Laura Martinez and Cecil Sampson, Kim Perkins and husband Jim, Mike Perkins and wife Jessie, Joshua Shor, Chris Matthias and Angie Franklin, Wayne Matthias and wife Jen, Ben Matthias, Sean Edmiston, Alyssa Edmiston, Lucas Edmiston, Jacob Edmiston; 10 great-grandchildren, Tressa Ritchie, Victoria Ritchie, Dylan Martinez, Mersadees Sampson, Lochi Sampson, Maggie Davis, Kate Davis, Dante Matthias, Kaleb Matthias, and Tyler Matthias.A son, Eugene, died earlier. Two sisters, Esther Parks, Peggy Parks Hundley, and two brothers, Wesley and Clifford Parks, also died earlier.The family will greet friends from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday at Warren-McElwain Mortuary.The family suggests memorial contributions to the Beth Parks Fund at Douglas County Bank, sent in care of the mortuary.Online condolences may be sent at www.warrenmcelwain.com, subject: Parks.