Mary Lee Parks

Mrs. Mary Lee Brown Parks, age 92, of 135 Oakland Road, Union, widow of James Jackson Parks, passed away on January 11, 2024, at her home. She was born on February 22, 1931, to Roy and Ruth Tweed Brown.

Mrs. Parks was a 1949 graduate of Union High School and looked forward to each reunion of her class. She retired as secretary in the Engineering Department of United Merchants – Union Mill. Mrs. Parks was a charter member of New Life Baptist Church where she served as church organist until her health declined. In 2014 she was honored by her church for 64 years of faithful service as church musician at both Westside Baptist and New Life Baptist. She spent her retirement years serving her Lord, loving and caring for her family, and cooking for friends and family. She epitomized the phrase "gentle servant" as she led and served by example. Throughout her life she maintained a sweet, Christ-like disposition which endeared her to many.

Surviving are three daughters: Rita Hines, Karen Greer and husband Paul, and Jane Arthur and husband Gibby; six grandchildren: Candee Humphries and husband Frank, Joey Hines and wife Kathryn, Haley LaMarche, Jack Arthur and wife Rachel, and Paul and Patrick Greer. She was a great-grandmother to: Zach and Anna Grace Humphries; Hayden, Bennett, and Adaline LaMarche; and Parks and Paxton Arthur. Mrs. Parks is survived by one sister, Augustine Crocker and husband Donald of Greenwood and one sister-in-law, Grace Barber of Union. She was predeceased by: two sons-in-law, Eddie Hines and Howard Bobo; one granddaughter, Meredith Bobo; and five sisters and four brothers.

Funeral services will be held at 3:30, Sunday, January 14, at New Life Baptist Church, conducted by Shannon Faulkner. The family will receive friends from 2:00 – 3:30 before the service.  Burial will follow at Union Memorial Gardens.

Active pallbearers will be Joey Hines, Jack Arthur, Paul Greer, Patrick Greer, Frank Humphries, Zach Humphries, Phil Garner, and Van Garner. Members of the Senior Adult Sunday School Class, her Spartanburg Regional Hospice Team, and her caregivers are asked to sit in their respective groups and serve as honorary escort.

The family of Mrs. Parks would like to express grateful appreciation to Spartanburg Regional Hospice Team for the love and care given during the last past two years of her illness—especially Casey, Michelle, and Sherry. They would also like to thank her caregivers Grace Barber, Joyce McDade, Hazel Adams, and Wanda Drain, for their personal love and care.

Memorials may be made to New Life Baptist Church, 502 Meansville Road, Union, SC 29379, or Spartanburg Regional Hospice, 686 Jeff Davis Dr., Spartanburg, SC 29303.

The family is at the home of her daughter, Karen Greer, 201 Rice Avenue, Union.