Charles E. Parks

Dr. Charles E. Parks, Sr., 83 of Owensboro passed away Tuesday, April 6, 2010 at Owensboro Medical Health System. A retired educator and ordained Baptist minister, he was born in Owensboro and attended Owensboro High School before enlisting, at the age of 16, in the United States Navy during World War II. He served in the South Pacific, was aboard ship in Tokyo Bay for the signing of the Japanese surrender, and was among the occupation forces. Following his discharge he graduated from OHS with a special class of returning veterans. He graduated from Campbellsville College with an Associates degree, from Kentucky Wesleyan College with a Bachelors of Science degree and from Indiana University with a Master of Science degree, where he also did post graduate work and received Rank 1 and Principal's certifications. Dr. Parks graduated from The American Divinity School with a Master of Theology degree and from Trinity Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Theology degree. He also attended the University of Tennessee for intensive training in Individualization of Instruction, Humanization of Instruction, Sensitivity Training ,and Secondary Administration.

Dr. Park's career in public education with the Owensboro Public Schools included teaching and coaching in grade school and junior high for seven years. He served 25 years as principal at Eastern Junior High School, Estes Junior High School, Estes Middle School, and Owensboro Middle School. He was a seminary instructor and administrator at Trinity Theological Seminary, served as editor of the seminary's worldwide newsletter and as international president of the alumni association,, and taught seminary extension classes for Southern Baptist Seminary. Dr. Parks served as pastor of the Green Brier and Pleasant Memorial Baptist Churches, as interim pastor of more than forty-five churches in Kentucky and Indiana, and as pulpit supply for numerous churches.

He served two terms as president of Kentucky's Second District Education Association, was a member of the board of directors of the Kentucky Secondary School Principals Association, state president of the Kentucky Junior High/Middle School Association, and two terms as state president of the Kentucky Core Curriculum Association. Dr. Parks was a two-term member of the National Committee on Junior High School Education in America, a member of the National Committee for Teacher Welfare, and at the invitation of the State Department attended foreign policy conferences in Washington, D.C. His speaking activities included high school graduation programs, workshops for Trinity Theological Seminary, and sub-groups of the National Association of Secondary Schools. He served as president of the Western Kentucky Friendship Force and as moderator of the Daviess-McLean Baptist Association. A member of the First Baptist Church, he served on the church's Senior Committee and as a co-teacher of the Beacon Sunday school class. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thurman Parks and Martine Hedges Parks, his brothers, Willard T. Parks, Raymond C. Parks, and Kenneth L. Parks, and his sister, Rubye Himes.

Surviving Dr. Parks are his wife of 60 years, Dorothy Coffey Parks; his sons, Charles Edward Parks, Jr. and his wife Sue, of Virginia Beach, VA, Dr. David L. Parks, Sr. and his wife Linda of Bowling Green; his grandchildren, Jessica Mae Parks, David Lee Parks, Jr., and Sarah Martine Parks, all of Bowling Green; his sister, Edna Mae Price and her husband Walter, of Lexington; nine nieces and nephews, and several great nieces and nephews.

Services, officiated by Dr. Paul Strahan, Rev. Bob Farmer, and Dr. David Nelson, are 10:00 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church. Honorary pallbearers will be active and retired ministers of the Daviess-McLean Baptist Association. Visitation will be from 2:00 until 8:00 p.m. Friday at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory and after 9:00 a.m. Saturday at the church. A service of committal, followed by burial, will be 4:00 p.m. Saturday at the Missionary Mound Cemetery in Metcalfe County. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Senior Ministry Program of First Baptist Church.