BYRON – Shirley M. Parks, 87, of Byron, passed away Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017 in Serenity Hospice and Home, Oregon. She was born Oct. 2, 1930 in Rockford the daughter of Kenneth and Jennie (Carey) Nelson.
Shirley attended school in Rockford until 1947, at which time the family moved to Byron. She graduated from Byron High School in 1948 at attended Rockford Memorial School of Nursing. She married Joseph H. Parks in Byron on March 2, 1950; he died in 2010. Shirley worked with her father at Nelson Jewelry from 1949 until 1974 when she and her husband Joe started Parks Sports in Byron. She moved to Hot Springs Village, Ark., in 1994 and returned to Byron in 1999.
Survivors include her children, Craig (Cheryl) Parks of Crivitz, Wis., Kent (Denise) Parks of Flagstaff, Ariz., Karen (Joe) Shiver of Winnebago, and Connie (Gary) Dieckbernd of Rockton; grandchildren, Joe, Chris, David, Chelsea, Benjamin (Whitney), Aaron (Rachel) Parks, Moriah (Tim) Bridges, Drew (Laura) Hogan, Trevor (Sarah) Hogan, Katryna (Pete) Kirby, Karmen (Bob) Bryer, Kacie (Scott) Spanton, Kelsey (Adam) Cooper, and Kyle and Chad Shiver; 14 great grandchildren; sister, Ramona Noyes of Genoa; and brother, Kenneth (Meryl) Nelson of Byron. She was also preceded in death by her parents.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017 at noon, preceded by visitation beginning at 11 a.m., in the United Church of Byron, 701 W. 2ndSt., Byron with Rev. Dr. Jesse Tanner officiating. Burial in Byron Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to Serenity Hospice & Home, Oregon. Farrell-Holland-Gale Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.
