Barbara Catron Parks
November 8, 1941 - November 26, 2019
Barbara Catron Parks, age 78, of Oak Ridge, TN, passed away November 26, 2019, at her residence surrounded by her family after battling Parkinson’s disease for more than 20 years.
She was born in Knoxville, TN, and moved with her parents, Bert Gillis Catron and Helen Donaldson Catron, and brother, Donald, to Oak Ridge in early 1944.
The family first lived in a "flat top" on Alger Road. When an "A" house became available, they moved to Kentucky Avenue and then to a "C' house on Kingsley Road where her sister, Carol, joined the family.
Barbara entered first grade at Cedar Hill Elementary School. She attended Jefferson Junior High School and graduated with the class of 1959 from Oak Ridge High School. She graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Home Economics in 1963. While at UT, she met and married James Edgar Parks.
While caring for their four children, Barbara earned her M.S. degree in Human Ecology from Western Kentucky University. She taught nursery school as well and enjoyed community activities such as being a Cub Scout den leader, room mother, and Sunday school teacher.
She developed an interest in storytelling and using puppets to illustrate the story. This led to a small craft business of making puppets and selling them at local craft festivals.
The family returned to Oak Ridge where all four children graduated from Oak Ridge High School.
Barbara taught childcare at Oak Ridge High School for 10 years and co-authored three books with her sister, Carol, on storytelling with young children. She spent the last of her 20-year professional career directing a TRiO program for first generation college students.
In retirement, she devoted much of her free time to her grandchildren and spent over 10 years tracing the genealogy of the Parks and Catron families. She loved hiking and was a member of First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge since the early days at the Ridge Theater.
She is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, James Edgar Parks, daughter Sharon Peake (Graham) of Purcellville, VA, sons James Parks II (Cheryl) and Kermit Parks (Susan) of Knoxville, TN, and daughter Christine Cheney (Jason) of Oak Ridge, TN. She is also survived by her nine grandchildren: Samuel, Georgia, and Benjamin Peake; Emily and Natalie Parks; Andrew and Rachel Parks; and Carinne and Jacob Cheney, as well as her mother Helen Catron and sister Carol Catron.
She is preceded in death by her father Bert Catron and brother Donald Catron.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, November 30, 2019 from 11 AM – 1:00 PM at First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge. The funeral service will begin at 1 PM with Rev. Jenny Caughman officiating and burial will follow at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish to honor Barbara’s life may do so with gifts to the First United Methodist Church, Oak Ridge pastoral visitation endowment.
Weatherford Mortuary is in charge of all arrangements.
November 8, 1941 - November 26, 2019
Barbara Catron Parks, age 78, of Oak Ridge, TN, passed away November 26, 2019, at her residence surrounded by her family after battling Parkinson’s disease for more than 20 years.
She was born in Knoxville, TN, and moved with her parents, Bert Gillis Catron and Helen Donaldson Catron, and brother, Donald, to Oak Ridge in early 1944.
The family first lived in a "flat top" on Alger Road. When an "A" house became available, they moved to Kentucky Avenue and then to a "C' house on Kingsley Road where her sister, Carol, joined the family.
Barbara entered first grade at Cedar Hill Elementary School. She attended Jefferson Junior High School and graduated with the class of 1959 from Oak Ridge High School. She graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Home Economics in 1963. While at UT, she met and married James Edgar Parks.
While caring for their four children, Barbara earned her M.S. degree in Human Ecology from Western Kentucky University. She taught nursery school as well and enjoyed community activities such as being a Cub Scout den leader, room mother, and Sunday school teacher.
She developed an interest in storytelling and using puppets to illustrate the story. This led to a small craft business of making puppets and selling them at local craft festivals.
The family returned to Oak Ridge where all four children graduated from Oak Ridge High School.
Barbara taught childcare at Oak Ridge High School for 10 years and co-authored three books with her sister, Carol, on storytelling with young children. She spent the last of her 20-year professional career directing a TRiO program for first generation college students.
In retirement, she devoted much of her free time to her grandchildren and spent over 10 years tracing the genealogy of the Parks and Catron families. She loved hiking and was a member of First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge since the early days at the Ridge Theater.
She is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, James Edgar Parks, daughter Sharon Peake (Graham) of Purcellville, VA, sons James Parks II (Cheryl) and Kermit Parks (Susan) of Knoxville, TN, and daughter Christine Cheney (Jason) of Oak Ridge, TN. She is also survived by her nine grandchildren: Samuel, Georgia, and Benjamin Peake; Emily and Natalie Parks; Andrew and Rachel Parks; and Carinne and Jacob Cheney, as well as her mother Helen Catron and sister Carol Catron.
She is preceded in death by her father Bert Catron and brother Donald Catron.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, November 30, 2019 from 11 AM – 1:00 PM at First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge. The funeral service will begin at 1 PM with Rev. Jenny Caughman officiating and burial will follow at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish to honor Barbara’s life may do so with gifts to the First United Methodist Church, Oak Ridge pastoral visitation endowment.
Weatherford Mortuary is in charge of all arrangements.
Barbara Catron Parks
November 8, 1941 - November 26, 2019
Barbara Catron Parks, age 78, of Oak Ridge, TN, passed away November 26, 2019, at her residence surrounded by her family after battling Parkinson’s disease for more than 20 years.
She was born in Knoxville, TN, and moved with her parents, Bert Gillis Catron and Helen Donaldson Catron, and brother, Donald, to Oak Ridge in early 1944.
The family first lived in a "flat top" on Alger Road. When an "A" house became available, they moved to Kentucky Avenue and then to a "C' house on Kingsley Road where her sister, Carol, joined the family.
Barbara entered first grade at Cedar Hill Elementary School. She attended Jefferson Junior High School and graduated with the class of 1959 from Oak Ridge High School. She graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Home Economics in 1963. While at UT, she met and married James Edgar Parks.
While caring for their four children, Barbara earned her M.S. degree in Human Ecology from Western Kentucky University. She taught nursery school as well and enjoyed community activities such as being a Cub Scout den leader, room mother, and Sunday school teacher.
She developed an interest in storytelling and using puppets to illustrate the story. This led to a small craft business of making puppets and selling them at local craft festivals.
The family returned to Oak Ridge where all four children graduated from Oak Ridge High School.
Barbara taught childcare at Oak Ridge High School for 10 years and co-authored three books with her sister, Carol, on storytelling with young children. She spent the last of her 20-year professional career directing a TRiO program for first generation college students.
In retirement, she devoted much of her free time to her grandchildren and spent over 10 years tracing the genealogy of the Parks and Catron families. She loved hiking and was a member of First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge since the early days at the Ridge Theater.
She is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, James Edgar Parks, daughter Sharon Peake (Graham) of Purcellville, VA, sons James Parks II (Cheryl) and Kermit Parks (Susan) of Knoxville, TN, and daughter Christine Cheney (Jason) of Oak Ridge, TN. She is also survived by her nine grandchildren: Samuel, Georgia, and Benjamin Peake; Emily and Natalie Parks; Andrew and Rachel Parks; and Carinne and Jacob Cheney, as well as her mother Helen Catron and sister Carol Catron.
She is preceded in death by her father Bert Catron and brother Donald Catron.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, November 30, 2019 from 11 AM – 1:00 PM at First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge. The funeral service will begin at 1 PM with Rev. Jenny Caughman officiating and burial will follow at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish to honor Barbara’s life may do so with gifts to the First United Methodist Church, Oak Ridge pastoral visitation endowment.
Weatherford Mortuary is in charge of all arrangements.
November 8, 1941 - November 26, 2019
Barbara Catron Parks, age 78, of Oak Ridge, TN, passed away November 26, 2019, at her residence surrounded by her family after battling Parkinson’s disease for more than 20 years.
She was born in Knoxville, TN, and moved with her parents, Bert Gillis Catron and Helen Donaldson Catron, and brother, Donald, to Oak Ridge in early 1944.
The family first lived in a "flat top" on Alger Road. When an "A" house became available, they moved to Kentucky Avenue and then to a "C' house on Kingsley Road where her sister, Carol, joined the family.
Barbara entered first grade at Cedar Hill Elementary School. She attended Jefferson Junior High School and graduated with the class of 1959 from Oak Ridge High School. She graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Home Economics in 1963. While at UT, she met and married James Edgar Parks.
While caring for their four children, Barbara earned her M.S. degree in Human Ecology from Western Kentucky University. She taught nursery school as well and enjoyed community activities such as being a Cub Scout den leader, room mother, and Sunday school teacher.
She developed an interest in storytelling and using puppets to illustrate the story. This led to a small craft business of making puppets and selling them at local craft festivals.
The family returned to Oak Ridge where all four children graduated from Oak Ridge High School.
Barbara taught childcare at Oak Ridge High School for 10 years and co-authored three books with her sister, Carol, on storytelling with young children. She spent the last of her 20-year professional career directing a TRiO program for first generation college students.
In retirement, she devoted much of her free time to her grandchildren and spent over 10 years tracing the genealogy of the Parks and Catron families. She loved hiking and was a member of First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge since the early days at the Ridge Theater.
She is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, James Edgar Parks, daughter Sharon Peake (Graham) of Purcellville, VA, sons James Parks II (Cheryl) and Kermit Parks (Susan) of Knoxville, TN, and daughter Christine Cheney (Jason) of Oak Ridge, TN. She is also survived by her nine grandchildren: Samuel, Georgia, and Benjamin Peake; Emily and Natalie Parks; Andrew and Rachel Parks; and Carinne and Jacob Cheney, as well as her mother Helen Catron and sister Carol Catron.
She is preceded in death by her father Bert Catron and brother Donald Catron.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, November 30, 2019 from 11 AM – 1:00 PM at First United Methodist Church in Oak Ridge. The funeral service will begin at 1 PM with Rev. Jenny Caughman officiating and burial will follow at Oak Ridge Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish to honor Barbara’s life may do so with gifts to the First United Methodist Church, Oak Ridge pastoral visitation endowment.
Weatherford Mortuary is in charge of all arrangements.
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