John Earl Parks, Sr.

John Earl Parks, Sr., of Groesbeck, passed away Friday, June 28, 2019 in Fairfield, at age 70. Visitation will be held on Monday, July 1, 2019, from 6:00-8:00 P.M. in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Tuesday, July 2, 2019, in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastor John Pearson of the Bethel Baptist Church officiating.  Burial will follow in Fort Parker Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Richard Stem, Jeff Stem, Joey Stem, Cres Pedroza, Vyncent Gray, and Matt Massey. John was born November 20, 1948 to George P. Parks and Alice Emeline (Youngblood) Parks in Texas City, where he grew up and attended school. John was united in marriage with Mary Susan “Sue” Wheeler on September 20, 1966 at the Northside Baptist Church in Texas City.   He was a truck driver all his life, working for various companies and later had his own truck. The family moved to Groesbeck in 1980.  John retired from trucking at age 52 due to suffering from COPD.    He like to farm and tend to his place, and raised watermelons and cantaloupes which he took to the Farmers Market in Waco.   He was a good neighbor, who enjoyed visiting with people and tried to help others anyway he could.   John was a member of the Bethel Baptist Church in Groesbeck. As his health continued to decline from COPD in the past few years, John moved to Mexia with his son, John Jr. and family.  During the last year, needing more intensive nursing care, he moved to the nursing home. John was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Susan in 2006; a sister-in-law and a brother-in-law; and a granddaughter, Stephanie Brooke Parks. He is survived by son and daughter-in-law, John Earl and Margie Parks, Jr. of Mexia; son, Steven Elliott Parks of Groesbeck; grandchildren: Breanna Parks and  Matt Massey, Kaitlyn Samples, Hannah Samples, Holly Cox and Cres Pedroza, and Lauren Cox and Vyncent Gray; and eight great grandchildren.   He is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Judy and Jerry Stem of Houston; brother, George Parks, Jr. of Dickenson; and sister, Susan Ragle of DeQueen, Arkansas.