Dr. Charles E. Parks Sr.

Published 12:00 am Thursday, April 8, 2010

OWENSBORO — Dr. Charles E. Parks Sr., 83, of Owensboro, died April 6, 2010, at Owensboro Medical Health System.

The Owensboro native was a retired educator and an ordained Baptist minister and attended Owensboro High School before enlisting at age 16 in the Navy during World War II. He served in the South Pacific, was aboard ship in Tokyo Bay for the signing of the Japanese surrender and was among the occupation forces. Following his discharge, he graduated from OHS with a special class of returning veterans. He graduated from Campbellsville College with an associate’s degree, from Kentucky Wesleyan College with a bachelor of science degree and from Indiana University and with a master of science degree. Dr. Parks graduated from The American Divinity School with a master of theology degree and from Trinity Theological Seminary with a doctor of theology degree. He also attended the University of Tennessee for intensive training in individualization of instruction, humanization of instruction, sensitivity training and secondary administration.

Dr. Park’s career in public education with the Owensboro Public Schools included teaching and coaching in grade school and junior high for seven years. He served 25 years as principal at Eastern Junior High School, Estes Junior High School, Estes Middle School and Owensboro Middle School. He was a seminary instructor and administrator at Trinity Theological Seminary, served as editor of the seminary’s worldwide newsletter and as international president of the alumni association and taught seminary extension classes for Southern Baptist Seminary. Dr. Parks served as pastor of the Green Brier and Pleasant Memorial Baptist churches, as interim pastor of more than 45 churches in Kentucky and Indiana, and as pulpit supply for numerous churches.

He served two terms as president of Kentucky’s Second District Education Association, was a member of the board of directors of the Kentucky Secondary School Principals Association, state president of the Kentucky Junior High/Middle School Association, and served two terms as state president of the Kentucky Core Curriculum Association. Dr. Parks was a two-term member of the National Committee on Junior High School Education in America, a member of the National Committee for Teacher Welfare, and at the invitation of the State Department, attended foreign policy conferences in Washington, D.C. His speaking activities included high school graduation programs, workshops for Trinity Theological Seminary and sub-groups of the National Association of Secondary Schools. He served as president of the Western Kentucky Friendship Force and as moderator of the Daviess-McLean Baptist Association. A member of the First Baptist Church, he served on the church’s Senior Committee and as a co-teacher of the Beacon Sunday school class. He was a son of the late Thurman Parks and Martine Hedges Parks. He was preceded in death by three brothers, Willard T. Parks, Raymond C. Parks and Kenneth L. Parks; and a sister, Rubye Himes.

Funeral is at 10 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church. Visitation is from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory and begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at the church. A service of committal, followed by burial, is at 4 p.m. Saturday at Missionary Mound Cemetery in Metcalfe County.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Senior Ministry Program of First Baptist Church.

Online condolences may be made at www.glennfuneralhome.com.

Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Dorothy Coffey Parks; two sons, Charles Edward Parks Jr. and his wife, Sue, of Virginia Beach, Va., and Dr. David L. Parks Sr. and his wife, Linda, of Bowling Green; three grandchildren, Jessica Mae Parks, David Lee Parks Jr. and Sarah Martine Parks, all of Bowling Green; a sister, Edna Mae Price and her husband, Walter, of Lexington; nine nieces and nephews; and several great-nieces and nephews.