“A Chapter Completed, A Page Well-Turned, A Life Well-Lived, and a Rest Well-Earned.”

Mary Lizzie Parks was born on November 27, 1921, in Putnam County to Silas "Cap" and Margaret Johnekins. To this union 11 children were born. As a little girl she went to school in Greene and Putumn Counties. The family started worshipping at Jefferson Baptist Church in Eatonton, Georgia. She graduated from high school in the 9th grade.

In 1937 she married Eddie Louis Parks and to the union there were five children born Dorothy, Eddie, Mary Ella, Evelyn, and James. After getting married she moved to Madison and started working at the Fews Café downtown Madison.

From 1939 to 1940 she taught school in Madison, Georgia for a short time. After working at Fews Café she started to work as a homemaker, babysitter, midwife, and in the cotton fields. She worked for the Thurmond and Booth families as a housekeeper and babysitter. The family was back and forth to Miami because of seasonal work but Madison is where she spent most of her life.

In 1958 Bessie Grimes who was her aunt started to teach her how to press black hair using a heavy kitchen fork and taught her how to make curls using her fingers. After finishing a beauty course through the mail and passing it, Mary was then asked to go to Augusta, Georgia and complete the clinical part to get her license in the State of Georgia. She passed and got her beautician license.

Once she came back home to Madison her father Cap Johnekins, who was a farmer told Mary that he had a small piece of land and could build her a shop. The shop turned out to be 564 square feet. He used old wood and constructed it by hand. Parks Beauty Shop was opened in 1959. Mrs. Parks opened one of the first African American owned business in Madison, Georgia.

Mary retired in 2004 after being in business for 45 years. After retirement she continued to support the field of cosmetology and encourage young hairstylist to appreciate the field.

She has received awards from Bonner Brothers in Atlanta and Dudley’s School of Cosmetology in North Carolina. In 2015 she was honored as one of the living legacies in Morgan County by the Morgan County African American Museum. In 2015 Mary was asked to participate in an interviewing session for a documentary film on World War II and how it affected lives during that era. Mary accomplished so much during her 101 years from being born by the tree beside the Oconee River to leaving a legacy that will live on through generations.

Mary Parks leaves to cherish her memory three devoted children Eddie (Lois)Parks, James (Leanne)Parks, Mary Ella Jackson. Two children preceded her in death Dorothy Parks and Evelyn Parks Peters. One son-in-law Johnny Peters. One sister Susie Mae Gibbs. Eight grandchildren: Carmen (Robert)Smith, Chandra Dowdell, Targie (Mario)Folds, Chiquita Parks, Kiara (Demetrius)Clayton, Ceondra (Anthony)Jelks, Cameron Jackson, and Brandon Parks. Great-Grandchildren: Aleric, Addonis, Jamaal, Jaila, Javez, Avery, Trenton, Tristen, CJ, Camarion, Naydia, Kaitlyn, Zanarious, Caleb, Emory, Devin, Camden, Ajah,and Kai; great-great grandchildren and a host of relatives and friends.

Services will be held 12:00 P.M. Friday, December 23, 2002 at Calvary Baptist Church, 184 Academy Street, Madison, Georgia Rev. Cecil Champion, officiating. Burial will follow in Madison Memorial Gardens.

A visitation will be held Thursday from 3:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. at the funeral establishment.

Services entrusted to Bernard's Family Funeral Care, LLC, "The Madison Chapel", 1086 Ward Road, Madison, Georgia 30650.