William Parks
May 17, 1932 — September 17, 2017
William Porter Parks, age 85 of Springfield, passed away on September 17, 2017 at his home with his devoted wife.
He was born on May 17, 1932 to the late Homer Hill and Amanda Ruth Rawls Parks.
Mr. Parks was an Untied States Army Veteran serving during the Korean War. He worked for many years at the Kroger Distribution Center and Cutters in Nashville.
Here is what Mrs. Dian told about hers and Porters life...
So many find our first date really sweet and quite comical!
In 1978 we both lost our spouse, my husband passed away of a heart attack and his wife in a tragic car accident. About eight or nine years later his youngest son Chris and I worked together at Krogers in Hickory Hollow. He came to me one day and asked for my phone number for his dad, after finding out that I was a widow. After many failed attempts, I finally gave in and gave him my number. When Porter called the first time we talked late into the night and soon realized our lives were running parallel.
He lived in Nashville and I was living in Springfield. On our first date, which for me was a true blind date. Porter showed up with a large bag of home grown turnip greens, tomatoes and hot cayenne peppers; little did he know he was coming to court a real country girl.
Over the next year we began growing from two single parent families to one united family that was brought together by a boy who wanted his father to be happy again. We were married in front of our family and many friends on April 16, 1988. We are now proud parents of 11 children, 18 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. We just celebrated our 29th Wedding anniversary.
Over the past 29 years, our two families have join together celebrating birthday, weddings and anniversaries. This year with him not feeling 100%, Porter was bound and determined to take me out to dinner and write me a poem like he has for our anniversary every year.
This memory was shared with laughter and tears for a man loved so deeply by his family and friends.
In addition to his parents, Mr. Parks is preceded in death by his first wife, Margaret Patsy Parks; sister, Rebecca Sue Quirk and daughter, Patricia Sweatt Sloan.
He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Emma Dian Sweatt Parks; children, William Michael (Larka) Parks, Thomas Stephen (Lisa) parks, Mary Ellen Parks Gortney, David Brian (Denise) Parks, Christopher Allan Parks, Billy (Karen) Sweatt, Paula (Ron) DeBerry, Alan (Brandi) Sweatt, Pamela (Jerry) Worsham, and Scott (Ginger) Sweatt; his sister, Dorothy Mae Blanker; grandchildren, Michael Patrick (Candice) Parks, James William (Sarah) Parks, Stewart Thomas Parks, Garrison Taylor Parks, Joshua Ray Brewer, Nathaniel hill Parks, Clinton (Shenna) Sweatt, Casey (Natalie) Sweatt, Ryan (Stacey) Clinard, Jena (James) Story, John (Leslie) Worsham, Lyndsey (Derek) Baldwin, Paul (Sara) Sweatt, Elizabeth Sweatt, Olivia Sweatt, Rob DeBerry, Logan Birdwell, and Kimberly Traughber; and 21 great-grandchildren.
A Life Celebration will be held at 2:00pm on September 21, 2017 at Springfield Funeral Home with burial to follow at Springfield Memorial Gardens with Mike Parks, David Parks, Chris Parks, Billy Sweatt, Alan Sweatt and Scott Sweatt serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Frank Giardina, John Giardina, James Quirk, Michael Patrick Parks, James William Parks, Stewart Thomas Parks, Garrison Taylor Parks,Joshua Ray Brewer, Nathaniel Hill Parks, Clinton Sewatt, Casey Sewatt, Ryan Clinard, John Worsham,Paul Sweatt, Rob DeBerry, Logan Birdwell and Chipper Ellis. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, September 20th from 4-8pm then again on Thursday from 10am until the time of service.
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