Iowa
Old Press
Spencer News Herald
Spencer, Clay co. Iowa
August 22, 1929
Robert Irvin Parks
Gillett Grove, Iowa, August 20, 1929—(Special to
the News Herald)—The funeral of Robert Irvin Parks
of Gillett Grove was held in Laurens Wednesday morning, August
14, at 10 o’clock at the Catholic church cemetery where his
wife is buried. The Rev. Father E.D. Hayes, pastor of the
Catholic church, was in charge of the services.
Mr. Parks had been quite ill this spring but the past few weeks
he had improved and was able to be up and around and his sudden
illness and death was rather unexpected. He was taken ill
Saturday night and started for the home of his son, Vern in
Laurens, but he got so bad that they took him to the hotel at
Webb where he died about 9:30 Sunday evening of heart trouble.
The body was brought to the home of his son Vern in Laurens that
evening.
Robert Irvin Parks was born near Millerburg, Iowa county, Iowa,
February 2, 1862, and died August 11, 1929, and was at the time
of his death 67 years, 6 months, and 9 days of age. He was the
son of Mrs. Phil Parks and was one of the early settlers of this
community, coming to Pocahontas county in 1882. Practically all
his life was spent in this vicinity except six years in
Minnesota.
July 19, 1882, Mr. Parks was married to Miss Nora Brannick of
Laurens. To this union nine children were born. He is survived by
his children, one daughter, Mrs. Mae Tuller of Fort Dodge and
eight sons, Glenn, Robert, James, and Charley of Gillett Grove,
Vern of Laurens, Loan of Oakland, California, and Fred and Frank,
who are with the United States Marines, stationed in Nicaragua.
All the children were able to be here for the funeral except
three sons, Loan, Fred and Frank.
Mr. Parks’ wife died 12 years ago. Besides the nine
children, he is survived by his aged mother, Mrs. Phil Parks of
Des Moines, two brothers, Oscar of Laurens and John of Spencer
and six sisters, Mrs. Gusta McCool, Miss Nora Parks, Mrs. Ethel
Johnson, Mrs. Elna O’Connell of Des Moines, Mrs. Etta Dean
of Mapleton, Mrs. Adeline Shull of Fulda, Minn., and three
grandchildren, Rose Stover of Fort Dodge, and Juanita and Eunice
Parks of Laurens.
The relatives, besides the children and their families who were
here from a distance to attend the funeral were: Mrs. Phil Parks,
Mrs. Gusta McCool, Miss Nora Parks, Mrs. Ethel Johnson and Mr.
and Mrs. George McConnell of Des Moines; Mr. and Mrs. Elsworth
Dean of Mapleton, Mr. and Mrs. John Parks and two sons, John and
Edward and their wives of Spencer; Mr. and Mrs. John Shull and
children of Fulda, Minn.; Mrs. Elva Crane of Sioux Rapids; Mr.
and Mrs. Frank Brannick of Iowa Falls; Mr. and Mrs. Will Kennedy
of Fort Dodge; and many other relatives and friends from Gillett
Grove, Webb, and Havelock.
The six pall bearers were old friends of Mr. Parks from Gillett
Grove.
[transcribed by L.Z., October 2014]