Joan Ellen Parks, wife of WA/DL Capt. Gary Lee Parks

~ IN MEMORY ~ Joan Ellen Brattmiller Parks, wife of WA/DL Captain Gary Lee Parks July 5, 1943 ~ July 14, 2012 Personal condolences may be sent to the family at 1910 NW 107th Circle, Vancouver  WA 98685-5084  ...  (360) 574-4966  Captain Gary Parks writes of his wife’s passing along with Joan’s obituary  .....   please see below.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Date: Thursday, July 19, 2012, 4:51 PM To all our extended family and friends, It is with a broken heart that I must tell you that my beautiful sweetheart of 47 years has passed away. She was always so positive and uplifting to those around her. I'm sure she is the same way in Heaven.  I already miss her happy smile so much. Thank you all for your prayers and good thoughts for Joan's battle with cancer.  It was a comfort to her. Love each other as if there will be no tomorrow. Gary PS.  If any of you do Facebook, my kids made a page for us.  (look up gary lee parks) Joan Ellen Parks, a resident of Vancouver, WA passed away on July 14.  Her always positive and and uplifting spirit was an inspiration to the many lives she touched.   Her famous "Don't tell me it can't be done" attitude was instrumental in establishing a volunteer parent-classroom helper program at the Primary and Elementary schools where she lived in San Diego county 30 years ago.  She was in charge of many school halloween carnivals , fun-runs and many more activities.  She had great compassion for children, the elderly and animals and did many services projects for them.  She was also the President and Co-creator of a candy manufacturing company - Kaleidoscope Kandy, Inc.  She is survived by her husband of 47 years Gary Lee Parks of Vancouver, WA, daughters Tiana WIlliams of Flagstaff AZ, and Kiara Parks of Salt Lake City, UT, son Gary Parks II of Rexburg, ID, and grandchildren Payton and Brielle, her sister Janet Mayhue of Coronado, CA and brother Jerald Brattmiller of Bonita, CA.  Joan graduated with a teaching degree from San Diego State University where she met her husband.  She loved doing the work of the Lord in service to others.  Two Memorial Services-Celebrations of Joan's Life will be held: one on Saturday July 21st, 2012 at 1 pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel at 2223 NW 99th St, Vancouver, WA 98685, and the second one on Saturday July 28th at 3 pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel at 14826 Fruitvale Rd., Valley Center, CA 92082 near San Diego where she grew up.  In lieu of flowers donations may be made in her name to West Columbia Gorge Humane Shelter (WCGHS, P.O. Box 270, Washougal, WA 98671). MArk Thanks for all your good work. IT is with a broken heart that I report the passing of my sweetheart of 47 years. Joan Parks, wife of retired Captain Gary Parks DAL/WAL, passed away on July 14 from cancer. Her always positive and and uplifting spirit was an inspiration to the many lives she touched. Her famous "Don't tell me it can't be done" attitude was instrumental in establishing the volunteer parent-classroom helper program at the Primary and Elementary schools in Valley Center, CA where they lived for 15 years before being domiciled in PDX. She was in charge of the school halloween carnivals , fun-runs and many more activities. She had great compassion for children, the elderly and animals and did many service projects for them. Joan graduated with a teaching degree from San Diego State University where she met her husband. She loved doing the work of the Lord in service to others. She is survived by her husband of 47 years Gary Lee Parks of Vancouver, WA, daughters Tiana WIlliams of Flagstaff AZ, and Kiara Parks of Salt Lake City, UT, son Gary Parks II of Rexburg, ID, and grandchildren Payton and Brielle, her sister Janet Mayhue of Coronado, CA and brother Jerald Brattmiller of Bonita, CA. Memorial Services - Celebrations of Joan's Life were held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday July 21st in Vancouver, WA and on the 28th in Valley Center, CA. Condolences may be sent to the family at 1910 NW 107th Circle, Vancouver, WA 98685. Donations in Joan's name may be made to the American Cancer Society.