George Parks was a longtime resident of Roscoe who loved this community and the people in it, and left a lasting legacy of service and mentorship when he passed.
From the Roscoe Hard Times, the local paper: (
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"THE ROSCOE HARD TIMES
ALL THE NEWS THAT'S FIT TO PRINT.
In the Heart of the Blackland Divide
WEDNESDAY, JULY 25, 2012
Memorial Planned for George Parks
George Parks spent his life working for the good of Roscoe and, although he has been gone for almost thirty years, he is still remembered by many as a teacher, mentor, and friend who changed their lives for the better.
Now, several former Boys Club members are working to honor his memory with a monument to be placed in Memorial Park.
The monument will be made by Sterling Monument of Eastland, the same company that made the veteran’s memorial now in Memorial Park, across from the museum. It will be gray granite, 32” tall, 22” wide, and 6” thick and will have a 5” x 7” porcelain photo of George above the engraved words George Parks. Just below that will be an 18” x 18” bronze plaque with the words in the left-hand column.
The completed monument will cost $3100, which will be raised through donations.
This is where we need your help. If you are one of those whose life has been enriched by George Parks, this is your chance to honor his memory by contributing to the purchase of the monument.
About a third of the required amount has already been raised, but we still need the rest and hope to raise it before the end of August.
You can drop off your donation at the Roscoe State Bank, or you can mail it to the George Parks Memorial Fund, Roscoe State Bank, P. O. Box 609, Roscoe, Texas 79545. Make checks payable to the George Parks Memorial Fund."
And -- (
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"The George Parks Memorial has finally arrived and been placed in Memorial Park across from the Museum. Thanks to the generosity of all those who donated to make the idea a reality, we now have a permanent marker to serve as a tribute to George and all he did for the community and its boys for almost all his adult life.
A formal dedication is planned for Spring Fling in mid-April, and those of us living here in Roscoe hope that enough former Boy Scouts, Boys Club members, and other well-wishers will attend to make the affair a reunion of sorts.
More details will be provided as that date approaches, but for now we invite one and all to check out the memorial marker honoring George in Memorial Park."
The memorial reads as follows:
"GEORGE PARKS
George W Parks, Jr., (1906-1983), lived a life of service to the community. He was instrumental in the creation of Howard Park, the baseball field, and the city swimming pool, but more important than the physical reminders of his works is the impact he had on the people and quality of life in Roscoe.
As editor of the Roscoe times, he was a strong advocate for civic improvement and involvement, and as the scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 37 and director of the Roscoe boys club, he left an indelible mark on the lives of countless boys who grew up here from the 1930s to the 1980s, teaching them by example the virtues of citizenship, cooperation, honesty, decency, leadership, self-reliance, and patriotism. He took boys on trips all over Texas and surrounding states as well as to California and Washington, DC, and also taught them how to swim, hunt, fish, hike, and play numerous games and sports.
His influence on the lives of people he touched is permanent and lasting, and Roscoe is a better place because of his works and lifelong dedication."