Ruth Lavina Parks

            Ruth (Rorman) Parks, 96 years and 9 months old, went to heaven very peacefully on October 3^rd, 2018 at Heritage Living Center in Park Rapids, MN. Her family was by her side (or there via technology or thoughts and prayers), singing her favorite hymns and assuring her of their love for her. Also at hand were caring, loving and kind Heritage staff. Ruth and her family loved the staff and appreciated the good care she received the whole time she lived there.

            Ruth was born on December 29^th, 1921 to Maude and William (Bill) Rorman in Winnebago Township, Minnesota. She grew up in the Blue Earth, MN area with her parents and her older brother, Wayne. She attended school and graduated from high school in Blue Earth in 1940, and was married to Mervin Parks, of Blue Earth, on December 25^th, 1940. They were blessed with 3 children, Shirley, Larry, and John.  In her mid 20's Ruth heard a Christian program and realized her need for Jesus Christ to be her Savior, and her husband also came to Christ at about the same time.  Ruth was a stay at home wife and mother, who loved her family. Ruth enjoyed leading Good News Clubs, a gospel outreach for children, for several years in Blue Earth. She was also involved with women's mission circle at First Baptist Church there, wrapping bandages for missionary hospitals and serving at church dinners. She and Mervin hosted many fun and interesting missionaries who loved the Lord ( one who played hide and seek with John), which has been a big influence in their children's and grandchildren's lives. She has left a legacy of prayer and love for Jesus and the Bible to her family and all who knew her.  Mervin and Ruth moved to Faribault in the fall of 1969, and to Lake Belle Taine near Nevis, MN in 1978, their dream come true. This was a property her parents had purchased in 1948. She loved hosting family, and friends at the lake cabin, as her mom had. She continued to live there until July of 2017 when she moved to Heritage Living Center.  She was active in the First Baptist Church in Faribault, and later at Faithbridge Church in Park Rapids, working in Awana, teaching Released Time classes, Mission Circle, Moms in Touch, a prayer ministry for kids and their schools, and Bible Studies in Nevis, the last with ladies from Fellowship Baptist Church, when she could no longer drive. The family had very good times together, fishing, waterskiing (even trying herself), swimming, singing (the family favorite was “Oh, How I Love Jesus”), watching slides and Laurel and Hardy, playing games, eating popcorn, s’mores, her rice krispy bars made with peanut butter, green salad, and sour cream raisin and pumpkin pies. She always enjoyed a good joke and would get the giggles sometimes. She loved flowers and gardening. In her later years, her favorite spot was sitting in her outdoor rocking chair, watching family and friends enjoy the lake and catching the golden glow on the trees across the bay.

            Ruth was preceded in death by her husband, Mervin, her parents Maude and Bill Rorman, and her brother, Wayne Rorman.

            Surviving her are her daughter Shirley (Loren) Mapson of Granada, MN, son Larry (Jane) Parks of Toledo, Spain, and son John (Sue) Parks of Park Rapids, MN, grandchildren Nathan (Heidi) Parks of New Hampshire, Christopher (Joanie) Parks of Virginia, Sara (Jhamir) Vargas Pierola of Barcelona, Spain and Joshua (Adriana) Parks of Toledo, Spain, Lisa (David) Horsager of Stillwater, MN, and Jason (Elizabeth) Parks of Fort Collins, CO, and great-grandchildren: Noah, Micah, Julia, Violet (Chris's), Grace, Bella, Isaac (Nate's), Vanessa, Isaiah, Maria Claire, Micah (Lisa's).