Weldon M. Parks

Weldon M. Parks, 87 of Union, MI, passed away on Dec. 15, 2014 at Elkhart General Hospital after a brief illness.

He was born April 29, 1927 in Eureka, Kansas to Ralph O. and Edna M. (Brinker) Parks. He married Mary Lou Hartshorn on June 1, 1950 in Albuquerque, NM.

Weldon and Mary Lou always said their greatest blessing was that they had each other. They met working at Trans World Airlines (TWA). A reprimanding quickly turned into a date, and he loved her with everything he had their 64 years of marriage.

Mary Lou survives along with 2 daughters, Susan (Douglas) Nadeau of South Windsor, CT and Cathy (Don) Martin of Union, MI; a son, Paul (Alex) Parks of Cologne, Germany, 5 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren; 2 sisters, Etoila Lang of Emporia, KS and Alice Jo Berchtold of Wichita, KS. He was preceded in death by a grandson, Christopher John Martin and a brother, Everett C. Parks.

Weldon had many friends whom he considered family, mostly from his church home, the Bristol United Methodist Church, where he volunteered for many years. Fellow church members, friends, and family will remember his generosity, honesty, and loving teasing.

Weldon served in the U.S. Navy in Naval Air Transport during World War II and retired after 39 years as a flight dispatcher for TWA. He was a member of the American Legion #210, Middlebury.

Visitation will be from 10 am to 11 am on Friday, Dec. 19th at Bristol United Methodist Church where the service will be held at 11 am. Reverends Fred Stayton and Ron Spyker will officiate. Burial will follow at Oakridge Cemetery, Bristol where military honors will be rendered by the U.S. Navy and American Legion #210, Middlebury.

Memorials are preferred to the Church. Online condolences may be sent to www.stemmlawsonpeterson.com.