George Malcolm Parks

Life Legacy Malcolm Parks was the only child of Reuben and Ella Lloyd Parks and was born May 28, 1923, in Viking Alberta, Canada. He came with his parents to the U.S. when he was two years old to settle in Sharon, Ohio, and departed this life Monday afternoon March 12, at 88 years of age. He graduated from Forest Grove High School in 1941, and soon left to serve 3 1/2 years in the U.S. Navy. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he married Patricia Gelein from Hibbing, Minnesota. They came to Caldwell in 1948 to open a monument business that he owned and operated until 1957 when he began his employment with Permian Oil & Gas Company and soon became president. When the National Gas & Oil Corporation acquired Permian in 1975, Malcolm was named Southeast District Superintendent. He was instrumental in forming the Ohio Gas Association, as he was one of the original trustees and served as its first acting treasurer. He was elected vice president September 1971, became president in 1972-1973, and served as trustee for many more years. After National purchased three gas utilities in Meigs County, Malcolm spent part of each week at the main office in Racine, Ohio. He retired in 1993. Malcolm was active in civic affairs his entire life. He was a member of the Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department for 40 years, serving as chief for four years. He had a distinguished service in the Noble County Chamber of Commerce serving as president three different terms. A 42-year member of the Caldwell Lions Club, and served in the capacity of president numerous times. He served as District Deputy Grand Master for three years for the Grand Lodge of Ohio, serving the Eighteenth District. He was a 60 plus year member of Sharon Lodge #136 F & AM. He also served as a director and treasurer of the Summit Acres Nursing Home for 25 years. He was an avid pilot and served as secretary of the Noble County Airport Authority for several years. After his open-heart surgery, he decided it was time to give up flying and turned his passion to the Ohio River and purchased a houseboat and became a member of the Marietta Boat Club. He also served as an instructor for the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 35 where he taught Boating Skills and Seamanship courses. He was a former member of the Performing Arts and the old Hi Variety shows where he and his best chum, Bud Ralston, were endmen together in several minstrel shows - much to the delight of the audiences. He is survived by his wife Pat and three children: Merle Henry and her husband Jim of Acworth, GA, and their two daughters Dr. Julie Henry-Kelly and her husband John of Grosse Pointe Farms, MI, and Cheryl Fields of Sheridan, WY; Robert Parks and his wife Judy of Caldwell; and JoAnne Parks Reasinger and her husband Vic and their two sons Malcolm and Samuel of Cincinnati. He also has one great-granddaughter, Brooklyn Fields of Sheridan, WY. In lieu of flowers, Memorial contributions may be made in Malcolm's name to the Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 24, Caldwell, OH 43724. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 17, at 11:00 AM, at the First Presbyterian Church, 532 North Street in Caldwell, OH 43724, with Rev. Will Mullins and Rev. Helen Lewis Co-Officiating. Chandler Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 609 West Street, Caldwell, OH 43724 has been entrusted to care for the family.

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