Vera R. Parks

WEBSTER – Vera Parks, 100, of rural Webster passed away Monday February 10, 2020 at Milbank Area Hospital in Milbank.

Her funeral will be 10:30 A.M. Saturday February 15, 2020 at Fiksdal Funeral Service in Webster. Spring interment will be at Prairie Mound Cemetery near Butler.

Visitation will be Friday 5-7 P.M. closing with a prayer service at the funeral home.

Vera Ruth (Wilson) Parks was born on Thursday August 14, 1919 to Earl and Elizabeth (Kenney) Wilson at Kingsley, Iowa. She and her twin Veda Mae (Wilson) Fatka were the youngest children of the family. Their older brothers were Dr. Vernon Wilson and Harold Wilson, a third brother Lee died as a toddler. The family attended The Church of Brethren. Vera attended school at Kingsley and graduated in 1935. After high school, she furthered her education at Westmar University in LeMars, Iowa to obtain a teaching degree. While at Westmar she met Kermit Parks. The couple was united in marriage on June 2, 1942 at Rockford, Illinois. The couple made their home in Golden, Colorado.

Following WWII, the couple returned to the Parks family home place near Butler, South Dakota. Together the couple farmed, raised a family and Vera also taught school. In the early years, Vera taught in a one room schoolhouse and later was a secondary math teacher in Webster, Watertown, and Clark School Districts, retiring in the mid-seventies.

Vera was a member of Butler Lutheran Church and later at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Webster. She enjoyed crocheting, playing organ, gardening, ceramics, painting, crossword puzzles, baking, traveling, and creating beautiful ceramic dolls. She especially enjoyed mowing her lawn and took pride in being the “Queen Combine Operator” during harvest. She was the matriarch of the Parkshill Farms; participating in all aspects of the farm and ranch life. Her family was very important to her, she was known as “Granny” to many. In later years, Vera shared her memories of farm life and teaching and was interviewed about her experiences of teaching in a one room schoolhouse.

Vera passed away Monday February 10, 2020 at Milbank, South Dakota at the age of 100 years, 5 months, and 28 days.

She is survived by four children; Arlene Miller of Spirit Lake, IA, Betty Aslesen of Mitchell, SD, Ordean Parks, and Reuben Parks both of Webster, SD, eight grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren, and five great-great grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews. Vera was preceded in death by her parents, husband, three brothers, one sister, one grandson and one great-grandson.