from an article in a May 1976 newsletter of a Colorado nursing home where Rosa stayed in her later years:
Rosa May (Runnells) Parks was born in 1886 to Renny and Nancy (Boaz) Runnells on a farm in Putnam County, Indiana near Coatesville. Mrs. Parks was the seventh of eight children. She and a brother, Roy Runnells, survive. Mr. Runnells lives at Casa Bonita Rest Home in Orange County, California and they talk to each other by phone once a month.
Mrs. Parks attended a one-room school near her home but due to ill-health and distance did not attend high school. Rosa and her mother were very interested in rug weaving and quilt making. They kept a large flock of geese which furnished material for pillows and feather beds. These hobbies plus an avid interest in reading made her girlhood a happy time.
On August 20, 1905, Rosa married Alonzo Allen Parks of Taylor County, Iowa (near Bedford). They were married in the minister's home in Danville, Indiana. Six children were born of this union, two boys and three girls, namely: Carl Clifford, 1906; Lillie Alice, 1910; (both born in Indiana). One was lost in infancy. The remaining three were born in Prowers County, Colorado: Ethel Mary, 1913; Earl Emerson, 1916 and Violet June, 1923.
After living and farming a few years in Indiana, the family moved to California but soon came back east and homesteaded in Prowers County, Colorado. Dry farming was different from Indiana and, after twenty years, the Parks family found themselves in the heart of the Dust Bowl. By this time, there was little to salvage and, like countless others, they were forced to see half a lifetime "go down the drain."
A daughter was living in Ft. Morgan and the parents moved there to be near her. There was a short stay in Texas and then back to Ft. Morgan. They and their daughter (Mrs. Lillie Ryder) moved to Englewood. Mr. Parks passed away there and, after some time alone, Rosa came to Chrerrelyn Manor about seven years ago.
Most farm families learn to live close to God. Once, when her darling brother was nearly killed by a horse's kick, her mother told her to have faith, dry her tears and not alarm her little brother. It turned out happily. When drought and hail took the crops, Mr. Parks would say that "God was still on His throne."
In the Runnell's and Park's homes, there was little money but a wealth of love and parental guidance. In her long years, Rosa has seen many storms and narrowly missed several tornados. She remembers the blizzards of sotheastern Colorado and the Towner school bus tragedy was not far away on the Colorado plains. Last week Mrs. Parks had the pleasure of hearing Pat Boone and met him in person. In all the Manor, there is not a finer nor a more loved resident than Rosa (Runnells) Parks.
from the Republican (Danville, Indiana):
Services for Rosa M. Parks, age 92, Littleton, Colorado, were February 27 in Dever, Colorado with burial in the Fairmount Cemetery there. She died, February 23, in Littleton. Mrs. Parks was the widow of Alonzo Parks. They were married in 1905, and he preceded her in 1957. She was a resident of Putnam County for 25 years, moved with her family to Holly, Colorado, and then later to Englewood, Colorado where she lived for 26 years. She and her husband were members of the Primitive Baptist Church.
Surviving are daughters, Lillie Ryder of Littleton, Colorado, Violet Francis of Tucson, Arizona; six grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. A daughter and son preceded her.
Rosa May (Runnells) Parks was born in 1886 to Renny and Nancy (Boaz) Runnells on a farm in Putnam County, Indiana near Coatesville. Mrs. Parks was the seventh of eight children. She and a brother, Roy Runnells, survive. Mr. Runnells lives at Casa Bonita Rest Home in Orange County, California and they talk to each other by phone once a month.
Mrs. Parks attended a one-room school near her home but due to ill-health and distance did not attend high school. Rosa and her mother were very interested in rug weaving and quilt making. They kept a large flock of geese which furnished material for pillows and feather beds. These hobbies plus an avid interest in reading made her girlhood a happy time.
On August 20, 1905, Rosa married Alonzo Allen Parks of Taylor County, Iowa (near Bedford). They were married in the minister's home in Danville, Indiana. Six children were born of this union, two boys and three girls, namely: Carl Clifford, 1906; Lillie Alice, 1910; (both born in Indiana). One was lost in infancy. The remaining three were born in Prowers County, Colorado: Ethel Mary, 1913; Earl Emerson, 1916 and Violet June, 1923.
After living and farming a few years in Indiana, the family moved to California but soon came back east and homesteaded in Prowers County, Colorado. Dry farming was different from Indiana and, after twenty years, the Parks family found themselves in the heart of the Dust Bowl. By this time, there was little to salvage and, like countless others, they were forced to see half a lifetime "go down the drain."
A daughter was living in Ft. Morgan and the parents moved there to be near her. There was a short stay in Texas and then back to Ft. Morgan. They and their daughter (Mrs. Lillie Ryder) moved to Englewood. Mr. Parks passed away there and, after some time alone, Rosa came to Chrerrelyn Manor about seven years ago.
Most farm families learn to live close to God. Once, when her darling brother was nearly killed by a horse's kick, her mother told her to have faith, dry her tears and not alarm her little brother. It turned out happily. When drought and hail took the crops, Mr. Parks would say that "God was still on His throne."
In the Runnell's and Park's homes, there was little money but a wealth of love and parental guidance. In her long years, Rosa has seen many storms and narrowly missed several tornados. She remembers the blizzards of sotheastern Colorado and the Towner school bus tragedy was not far away on the Colorado plains. Last week Mrs. Parks had the pleasure of hearing Pat Boone and met him in person. In all the Manor, there is not a finer nor a more loved resident than Rosa (Runnells) Parks.
from the Republican (Danville, Indiana):
Services for Rosa M. Parks, age 92, Littleton, Colorado, were February 27 in Dever, Colorado with burial in the Fairmount Cemetery there. She died, February 23, in Littleton. Mrs. Parks was the widow of Alonzo Parks. They were married in 1905, and he preceded her in 1957. She was a resident of Putnam County for 25 years, moved with her family to Holly, Colorado, and then later to Englewood, Colorado where she lived for 26 years. She and her husband were members of the Primitive Baptist Church.
Surviving are daughters, Lillie Ryder of Littleton, Colorado, Violet Francis of Tucson, Arizona; six grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. A daughter and son preceded her.
from an article in a May 1976 newsletter of a Colorado nursing home where Rosa stayed in her later years:
Rosa May (Runnells) Parks was born in 1886 to Renny and Nancy (Boaz) Runnells on a farm in Putnam County, Indiana near Coatesville. Mrs. Parks was the seventh of eight children. She and a brother, Roy Runnells, survive. Mr. Runnells lives at Casa Bonita Rest Home in Orange County, California and they talk to each other by phone once a month.
Mrs. Parks attended a one-room school near her home but due to ill-health and distance did not attend high school. Rosa and her mother were very interested in rug weaving and quilt making. They kept a large flock of geese which furnished material for pillows and feather beds. These hobbies plus an avid interest in reading made her girlhood a happy time.
On August 20, 1905, Rosa married Alonzo Allen Parks of Taylor County, Iowa (near Bedford). They were married in the minister's home in Danville, Indiana. Six children were born of this union, two boys and three girls, namely: Carl Clifford, 1906; Lillie Alice, 1910; (both born in Indiana). One was lost in infancy. The remaining three were born in Prowers County, Colorado: Ethel Mary, 1913; Earl Emerson, 1916 and Violet June, 1923.
After living and farming a few years in Indiana, the family moved to California but soon came back east and homesteaded in Prowers County, Colorado. Dry farming was different from Indiana and, after twenty years, the Parks family found themselves in the heart of the Dust Bowl. By this time, there was little to salvage and, like countless others, they were forced to see half a lifetime "go down the drain."
A daughter was living in Ft. Morgan and the parents moved there to be near her. There was a short stay in Texas and then back to Ft. Morgan. They and their daughter (Mrs. Lillie Ryder) moved to Englewood. Mr. Parks passed away there and, after some time alone, Rosa came to Chrerrelyn Manor about seven years ago.
Most farm families learn to live close to God. Once, when her darling brother was nearly killed by a horse's kick, her mother told her to have faith, dry her tears and not alarm her little brother. It turned out happily. When drought and hail took the crops, Mr. Parks would say that "God was still on His throne."
In the Runnell's and Park's homes, there was little money but a wealth of love and parental guidance. In her long years, Rosa has seen many storms and narrowly missed several tornados. She remembers the blizzards of sotheastern Colorado and the Towner school bus tragedy was not far away on the Colorado plains. Last week Mrs. Parks had the pleasure of hearing Pat Boone and met him in person. In all the Manor, there is not a finer nor a more loved resident than Rosa (Runnells) Parks.
from the Republican (Danville, Indiana):
Services for Rosa M. Parks, age 92, Littleton, Colorado, were February 27 in Dever, Colorado with burial in the Fairmount Cemetery there. She died, February 23, in Littleton. Mrs. Parks was the widow of Alonzo Parks. They were married in 1905, and he preceded her in 1957. She was a resident of Putnam County for 25 years, moved with her family to Holly, Colorado, and then later to Englewood, Colorado where she lived for 26 years. She and her husband were members of the Primitive Baptist Church.
Surviving are daughters, Lillie Ryder of Littleton, Colorado, Violet Francis of Tucson, Arizona; six grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. A daughter and son preceded her.
Rosa May (Runnells) Parks was born in 1886 to Renny and Nancy (Boaz) Runnells on a farm in Putnam County, Indiana near Coatesville. Mrs. Parks was the seventh of eight children. She and a brother, Roy Runnells, survive. Mr. Runnells lives at Casa Bonita Rest Home in Orange County, California and they talk to each other by phone once a month.
Mrs. Parks attended a one-room school near her home but due to ill-health and distance did not attend high school. Rosa and her mother were very interested in rug weaving and quilt making. They kept a large flock of geese which furnished material for pillows and feather beds. These hobbies plus an avid interest in reading made her girlhood a happy time.
On August 20, 1905, Rosa married Alonzo Allen Parks of Taylor County, Iowa (near Bedford). They were married in the minister's home in Danville, Indiana. Six children were born of this union, two boys and three girls, namely: Carl Clifford, 1906; Lillie Alice, 1910; (both born in Indiana). One was lost in infancy. The remaining three were born in Prowers County, Colorado: Ethel Mary, 1913; Earl Emerson, 1916 and Violet June, 1923.
After living and farming a few years in Indiana, the family moved to California but soon came back east and homesteaded in Prowers County, Colorado. Dry farming was different from Indiana and, after twenty years, the Parks family found themselves in the heart of the Dust Bowl. By this time, there was little to salvage and, like countless others, they were forced to see half a lifetime "go down the drain."
A daughter was living in Ft. Morgan and the parents moved there to be near her. There was a short stay in Texas and then back to Ft. Morgan. They and their daughter (Mrs. Lillie Ryder) moved to Englewood. Mr. Parks passed away there and, after some time alone, Rosa came to Chrerrelyn Manor about seven years ago.
Most farm families learn to live close to God. Once, when her darling brother was nearly killed by a horse's kick, her mother told her to have faith, dry her tears and not alarm her little brother. It turned out happily. When drought and hail took the crops, Mr. Parks would say that "God was still on His throne."
In the Runnell's and Park's homes, there was little money but a wealth of love and parental guidance. In her long years, Rosa has seen many storms and narrowly missed several tornados. She remembers the blizzards of sotheastern Colorado and the Towner school bus tragedy was not far away on the Colorado plains. Last week Mrs. Parks had the pleasure of hearing Pat Boone and met him in person. In all the Manor, there is not a finer nor a more loved resident than Rosa (Runnells) Parks.
from the Republican (Danville, Indiana):
Services for Rosa M. Parks, age 92, Littleton, Colorado, were February 27 in Dever, Colorado with burial in the Fairmount Cemetery there. She died, February 23, in Littleton. Mrs. Parks was the widow of Alonzo Parks. They were married in 1905, and he preceded her in 1957. She was a resident of Putnam County for 25 years, moved with her family to Holly, Colorado, and then later to Englewood, Colorado where she lived for 26 years. She and her husband were members of the Primitive Baptist Church.
Surviving are daughters, Lillie Ryder of Littleton, Colorado, Violet Francis of Tucson, Arizona; six grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. A daughter and son preceded her.
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