Douglas Ray Parks' Obituary
Douglas Ray Parks, 56, of Centerville Iowa, was born September 20, 1957 to Orrin Ralph and Pauline (Kunzman) Parks in Ottumwa, Iowa, and died on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines after a short illness. Doug graduated from Centerville High School in 1976 and from Central College in 1980. He earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of Iowa in 1994, and became a Certified Public Accountant in 1999. While working on his doctorate, Doug was a Teaching Assistant at the University of Iowa and taught at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Later, Douglas would become an CPA for Hunzelman Putzier and Company in Storm Lake, Iowa. Before Coming to Centerville, Douglas lived in Chariton and Clinton, Iowa, where he began his early education. Doug was an avid runner and bicyclist spending many hours out of doors. He was also an avid reader and owned an extensive library of nonfiction works. Doug suffered a life-changing illness in 2007 after which he came back to live with his parents. During the last years of his life, Doug lived with extreme physical challenges which he accepted with total grace, always smiling and with a pleasant word for anyone whom he met each and every day. He loved his family, his church family, spending time at the library at Indian Hills Community College and being at home with his books. He will be missed by many community members with whom he enjoyed visiting on his daily walks. He attended First United Methodist Church in Centerville.Doug was preceded in death by his father, "O.R." Parks on January 9, 2012; maternal grandparents, Sam and Elva (Kendrick) Kunzman; and paternal grandparents, O.R. and Lelah (Reagan) Parks. He is survived by his mother, Pauline Parks of Centerville, Iowa; uncles, Wallace and his wife Doris Kunzman of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Charley and his wife Shirley of Douds, Iowa along with several cousins.Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am December 14, 2013 at the First United Methodist Church in Centerville, Iowa with Rev. Dennis Gilbert officiating. Burial will follow in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery near Cincinnati, Iowa. Visitation will be held on Friday, December 13, 2013 from 2 pm until 8 pm and the family will be present from 6 pm until 8 pm at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to either Centerville High School Foundation, Indian Hills Community College or First United Methodist Church and left or mailed to the funeral home. The To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Douglas Ray Parks please visit our Sympathy Store.
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