Teresa Gertrude Parks

Funeral Service for Teresa Gertrude Parks, age 96 of Neligh, NE, were at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, November 2, 2013 at St. Francis Catholic Church in Neligh, Ne. with Rev. John Broheimer and Father James Kramper officiating and lector Jack Wolf. Music was provided by Roxanne McNally and Julie and Mark Dwyer. Interment was in St. Patrick's Cemetery of rural Clearwater. Pallbearers were Matt Parks, Joel Thieman, Aaron Parks, Christopher Parks, Brent Parks, Mike Lordemann, Jon Wolf, and Heath Borer. Visitation was Friday, November 1, 2013 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., at St. Francis Church, with a 6:45 p.m. wake service with Father James Kramper, Officiating. Beyer Snider Memorial Funeral Home, of Neligh is in charge of arrangements. Teresa passed away Wednesday, October 30, 2013 at the Golden Living Center in Neligh, NE. Teresa was born on February 26, 1917 to Carl J. and Rose G. (Funk) Thiele at their home southwest of Clearwater. She attended a rural school in that area and graduated from St Mary's Academy in O'Neill, NE. Teresa continued her formal education at Chadron State College earning her teaching certificate. She taught in a rural school near Page, NE. for several years. While teaching she met Alva Curtis Parks of Page, NE. They were married on September 28, 1940 at rural St. John's Catholic Church Clearwater, NE. When Alva was deployed with the Army, Teresa moved to Grand Island and worked as a telephone operator with the Grand Island Telephone and Telegraph. When Alva returned they made their home working on a ranch south of Ewing near the Deloit area until Alva lost his arm in a farming accident September 5, 1956. The couple then moved to the Thiele farm west of rural St. John's Catholic Church. Teresa worked at Antelope Memorial Hospital from 1965-1973. They remained on the farm until 1994 when they moved to Neligh. She enjoyed living in Neligh and made many new friends through the Senior Center, church, quilting group, and other activities.
Teresa enjoyed giving back to others and passing good deeds forward by volunteering at church, the Red Cross Blood Mobile, and the hospital to name a few. She was a devout Catholic and took great pleasure doing what ever she could for the church, priests and parishioners. She was a member of St. John's Christian Mother's and St. Francis Rosary Sodality. She was also a member of the Legion Auxiliary.
Teresa enjoyed working in her garden from which she fed her family and shared her produce with friends and neighbors. She loved to sew whether it was patching blue jeans or designing a new quilt. She made numerous patchwork quilts for family, friends and for Birth Right. She was devoted to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and always looked forward to them spending time at the farm.
She is survived by her nine children and their spouses; Leo Allen (Carol )Parks of Nebraska City, NE; Mary Ellen (Ray) Lordemann of Greeley, CO; Tom (Shelia) Parks of Neligh, NE; Jackie (Jeff) Gilbert of Aurora, CO; William Parks and special friend Cindy Wolff of Omaha, NE; Jane( Jerry) Thieman of Petersburg, NE; Linda ( Jack) Wolf of Atkinson, NE; Kenny (Nancy) Parks of Neligh, NE and Ed (Anne) Parks of Elgin, NE. along with 27 grandchildren and 32 great grandchildren. Her sisters: Margaret Fiser, Lillian Brennum, Ade Lou Hamm all of AR and Bernadette Thramer of MT; brothers Vincent of Neligh, NE Charles (Josephine) of CO, and Louis (Connie) of Omaha, NE; brother-in-law, Percy Payne of Elgin, NE. Many relatives, friends, and acquaintances, for no matter where she went she could strike up a conversation and from a lasting friendship that would never be forgotten.
Preceded in death by husband Alva, Dec 24, 2001; infant daughter Margaret Ann, a son-in–law Ronald Borer, her parents; Carl and Rose Thiele, brothers; Clement and Augustine and sisters; Cecelia Payne and Geraldine Koehler.