Peggy Parks, Educator And Community Leader, Dies At 89

Peggy Sue Murphy Parks, 89, of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, went to be with her Lord on July 17, 2017, at her home. She was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on November 12, 1927, the fifth of six children of Eugene Gilmore and Amelia Remes Murphy.

Peggy graduated from Fayetteville High School as the DAR Good Citizen of the class of 1945. She served as State President of Young People, Presbyterian Church USA, and received leadership training at Montreat, North Carolina. She was chosen as one of three delegates from the General Assembly to attend a seminar on World Order which met at the newly formed United Nations, Lake Success, NY, in 1947.

Following three semesters at the University of Arkansas, Peggy accepted a full scholarship to Arkansas College (now Lyon College) in Batesville, Arkansas. After three semesters, the Division Manager of Southwestern Electric invited her to enter the business world. In 1949, Peggy Murphy married Donald Parks and moved to Prairie Grove, where Donald was associated with the family business, Prairie Grove Telephone Company, founded by his grandfather, Dr. E.G McCormick in the 1880’s. Their son, David McCormick Parks, was born in 1954.

Peggy taught Sunday School at First Presbyterian Church of Prairie Grove for 33 years. In 1957, the superintendent of schools in Prairie Grove asked Peggy to substitute teach in a split first and second grade class, and Peggy knew she had found her calling. She was hired to teach full time, and earned a degree in education during summer vacations. Peggy taught fourth grade for 30 years. The class of 1984 chose Peggy to be the Grand Marshall of their Homecoming parade.

Governor

Bill Clinton appointed Peggy to the state Democratic Committee, and Governor Jim Guy Tucker extended that appointment to ten years. Peggy served on the Fayetteville City Hospital board, and later, the Washington Regional Foundation board, where she chaired the Gala committee for three years. She also served on the Ozark Guidance Foundation board; she and Donald were made Life Members of the Director’s Circle.

Peggy served on the board of the Arts Center of the Ozarks; in 1997, she was the only female “Roastee” for the annual Roast and Toast fundraiser, which was emceed by Senator David Pryor. As a member of the Barbara Mashburn Scholarship foundation, Peggy accompanied the singers to Washington, D.C. in 1998, 1999, and 2000 when they were invited by President Bill Clinton to perform for Christmas receptions at the White House.

In 2003, the Fayetteville Public Education Foundation inducted Peggy into the Hall of Honor as a graduate and thirty-year educator; she later served on their board. Governors Jim Guy Tucker and Mike Beebe appointed Peggy to the Prairie Grove Battlefield Park Commission. She was a charter member of Chapter CQ , P.E.O.

The Parks family established an Endowed Professorship in the College of Education at the University of Arkansas in 2006. In 2007, the Parks family received the Lifetime Philanthropic Achievement award at the annual luncheon of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. In 2009, 60 years after Peggy might have graduated from Lyon College, she was made an honorary alumna during the inauguration ceremonies of the new president, Dr. Donald Weatherman.

In 2012, the Epley Center for Health Professions building on the University of Arkansas campus dedicated the second floor to Peggy and her mother, Emilia Murphy, RN. This building enabled the university to double the number of graduate nurses.

Peggy was preceded in death by her husband, Donald, her parents, brother James Ellis Murphy, and sisters June Giles, Mary Clark, and Jeanne Hicks, all of Fayetteville. She is survived by her son, David McCormick Parks, his wife, Pam, and her family of three daughters, two sons-in-law, and nine grandchildren, and by her sister, Betty George and husband David, of Dallas, Texas.

The family would like to give a special thanks to all of Peggy’s caregivers, but most especially to Allen Wood and Brian New. Memorials may be made to Washington Regional Foundation, Ozark Guidance Foundation, or Fayetteville Public Education Foundation.

Funeral services will be held 10 a.m., Friday, July 21, 2017 at the Prairie Grove Christian Church. There will be no graveside service.

Parks