Deaconess Ernestine Parks

PARKS, Deaconess Ernestine - age 89, passed away Saturday, September 6, 2014 at her residence. Family hour 11 a.m. Friday, September 12, 2014 at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 1083 E. Stewart Ave. with funeral service commencing at 12 p.m. Rev. Dr. Lewis Randolph officiating. Interment Sunset Hills Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 11 a.m. Friday. Deaconess Parks will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd. and may be viewed from 2 p.m.-8 p.m. Thursday, with the family present from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. Deaconess Ernestine (Benton) Parks affectionately known as “Granny” to her grandchildren, and “Sunshine” to her great-grandchildren went to be with the Lord on September 6, 2014. She was born Ernestine Benton in Stephens, Arkansas to Robert and Aquillar Benton. Ernestine was the sixth of fourteen children. Of the children, all have passed except for one. She moved to Flint, Michigan in the early 1940’s she used to tell how her Aunt Lois Nichols invited her to come to Flint and work for General Motors if she earned her train fare. Ernestine said that she “Cotton-picked” her way out of Arkansas. She worked for General Motors “AC Spark Plug” for 30 years retiring in 1974. She was a member of UAW 651. Ernestine married Roscoe Parks, and they were married 69 years in January. She used to tell us how they both worked together at AC Spark Plug, and she flirted with him by tossing screws at him to get his attention. They were members of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church for over 60 years. Ernestine was on the Usher Board, Sunday School Teacher, Esther Circle, and she was a Deaconess. She visited seniors at the nursing homes monthly as well. Ernestine was known to take the neighbor children to church. Attending church until her health no longer allowed. After she retired someone invited her to join a bowling league. She was hesitant at first, until they said there would be a lot of traveling involved where she was member of the 600 Club. She became an avid bowler and had plenty of trophies to show for it. She went to over 20 tournaments in the WIBC during her years of bowling. Some of her travels included Hartford, CT, Denver, CO, Las Vegas, NV, Tucson, AZ, Milwaukee, WI, Toledo, OH, Baltimore, MD, Niagara Fall, NY, Reno, NV, Seattle,WA. Miami, FL, and St. Louis, MO. Ernestine loved people and didn’t meet any strangers. In the winter she would bowl, and summers she loved her flower garden, saving the seeds to plant the following spring. She also enjoyed playing Dominos, teaching her grandchildren to play at an early age, and finding hidden word puzzles. Ernestine loved travel going to Germany with her daughter Joyce to visit her nephew Don Holland while he was in the military. While visiting him, he took them to Czechoslovakia. They left Germany and visited Paris. She traveled to Spain, Hawaii and Nassau with her sisters. Deaconess Ernestine Parks leaves to cherish her husband, Roscoe Parks; 3 daughters, Joyce Parks of Macomb, MI, Jacqueline Parks of Flint and Mary “Pat” Parks of Flushing, MI; granddaughters, Dr. Nikkia (William) Washington III of Kentwood, MI, Aisha (Quinton) Stringer of Gainesville, GA; grandson, Evan Parks of Grand Blanc, MI; 2 great-granddaughters, Aaliyah and Alivya Stringer; sister, Annie Mae Holland of Flint; a host nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Special thanks to Dr. Lisa Linzie. One of her favorite sayings was “This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it” Psalm 118:24.

Deaconess Ernestine Parks

May 22, 1925 - September 6, 2014