Fran Killips Parks was born to Benjamin and Norma (DeMott) Killips on January 5th, 1960, in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. The family moved to Whitewater, Wisconsin in 1962. She graduated from Whitewater High School as part of the Class of ’78. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Welfare at UW-Whitewater in December of 1984.
Fran married her high school friend, Howard Parks, on October 26, 1985, and the couple moved to St Louis, Missouri. They returned to Wisconsin in 1991, living in Whitewater, West Allis, Milwaukee, and Hartford. In 2006, the family offered to share their home with friends Mac & Thea McDonald. In 2010, the family moved to Omaha, Nebraska. Mac passed in 2015.
Fran enjoyed many creative activities: quilting, sewing, crocheting, gardening, photography, wood carving, singing and interior design. That is to say, she liked to move the furniture around. She enjoyed camping and traveling, visiting Idaho, da UP, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming on family trips. The highlight of her adventures was 3 weeks with her dear friends Leslie and John in New Zealand in 2015.
Fran’s delight was her four children: Sarah, Abbie, Katie, and Charlie. She was very fond of her dogs, Autumn and Penny. Fran was a member of Adat Hatikvah Tzion, a messianic congregation, in Omaha. She was vocal about her love for Yeshua and His Word and generous with her time in service to His people. She was known for her hospitality to friends, family and strangers alike, her puns and for her hearty, joyous laughter.
Fran passed on April 8, 2018, from cancer. She was preceded in death by her father Ben, mother-in-law Helen, brother-in-law Tony and two unborn babies. She is survived by her husband, her mother, siblings Ben, Mike (Sue), Liz (John), Patrick, Marc (Christine), father-in-law Gordon, brothers-in-law Alan (Jean), Frank, Chris (SO Caroline), Matt (Linda), sisters-in-law Katie and Elizabeth (Willard), 18 nieces and nephews, 4 great-nieces and nephews.
On April 12, 2018, a graveside service was held at Voss Mohr Cemetery, in Omaha.
In Whitewater, a memorial service and potluck will be held on Saturday, June 9th, 2018 at the Cravath Lakefront Community Center, from 11:30 AM to 2:00 PM. Howard and his children are very grateful to family, church family in both Wisconsin and Nebraska, and Howard’s employer for support of many kinds during Fran’s illness and the days since.
Memorials may be made to any charity or organization in honor of Fran and her spirit to give and support others.
