Obituary of Maureen Parks

PARKS Maureen S., 93, of Wyckoff, the beloved Parks family matriarch, died Wednesday, January 21, 2015 of natural causes. She was at home with family when she passed in the dawn hours. Maureen was a devoted wife, affectionate mother, and adored grandmother. As a wife, she supported her husband who opened and operated Parks Photo Engraving (later Parks Graphics) in Hackensack, NJ, a regional leader for decades in commercial graphic design. As a mother and grandmother, she encouraged her kids to follow their talents and passions. Today, her children and grandchildren are authors, investors, entrepreneurs, doctors, coaches, teachers, and chefs, living here in New Jersey, nearby in Connecticut and New York, and as far south and west as Texas. Born in Newark, she went to Belleville High School in New Jersey and graduated in 1938 as the class valedictorian. In 1940, she married Robert James Parks a photo engraver from Hawthorne. In 1950, the couple moved to Wyckoff with their family. Maureen was a member of the Wyckoff Junior Women's Club and the Women's Club. She was a member of the Wyckoff PTA and Booster Club. She was also a member of the Kings Mill Golf & Country Club in Williamsburg, VA and the Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey. Later in life, Maureen was a fan of professional tennis, and consistently followed Wimbledon, The U.S. Open, and other major tournaments on TV. She was also a loyal fan of competitors in her own family, who were often high school standouts in basketball, hockey, baseball, softball, and volleyball. Throughout her life, she gave enthusiastically to many charities, and was renowned throughout the Parks family for her gleeful plea for everyone to love everybody. She is survived by two sons John Dennis Parks of Wantagh, NY, James Hugh and wife Lynette Parks of Wyckoff, NJ; 1 daughter Kathleen and her husband Jim Mitchell of Norwalk, CT; 1 widowed daughter-in-law Deidra Parks of Waldwick, NJ. Also surviving are 9 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. Maureen was predeceased by her brother James in 1982, her husband Bob in 2005 and her son Robert Henry in 2008. Visiting hours are Sunday 2-6 pm at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home, www.vpfh.com, 257 Godwin Ave. Wyckoff, NJ. Funeral Mass is Monday, 10:00 am at the St. Elizabeth's Church, 700 Wyckoff Ave., Wyckoff, NJ. Interment will follow at the Wyckoff Reformed Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the St. Jude's Tribute Program, PO Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148.