Joyce Ann Parks, 71, Loved Her Family

Her family moved to Ohio in 1952. Joyce graduated from Marion L. Steele in HS in 1965 where she went on to study at Lorain County Community College. She worked at her family’s flower shop, Derrick’s House of Flowers before she went on to work at Alltel.

Joyce worked at Alltel Corporation for many years, where she retired and went to work for Lorain County, and one of her passions, local politics. She worked with the Lorain County Commissioner’s office and was the right-hand to Betty Blair and then later Lori Kokowski. She was also a member of the Red Hat Club, and loved all of her friends, theatre, bluegrass music, and especially her family. She was always into doing charity work, especially for kids in need.

No words can fully define the person Joyce was. Everyone who knew her, knew her family was her everything. Her grandchildren were the luckiest beneficiaries of her enormous heart. She took at least 6 kids camping almost every year in the 90s and 2000s for a week where everyone would fish, canoe, have talent shows, see who could spit the cherry seeds the furthest at the bonfire, and so much more. This was not normal camping, this was camping “Granny Joyce” style, or glamping. She spent months packing, organizing and preparing for the greatest week ever. Marinated chicken breast, salad with every kind of dressing, cereals, fruits and veggies, baked potatoes, s'mores (food for 8 people for a week), with 5 tents, air mattresses, and so much more.

If she was not camping with the kids, they were always welcome at her house. This is where she would teach her grandbabies everything she could. Whether she was having her grandchildren work on beginner puzzles (6,000 pieces), or watching the Harry Potter series, she was always teaching and taking care of her babies. She enjoyed taking them to plays, making Christmas cookies, and best of all were her buckeyes. She always made around 1000 buckeyes at a time, so that every grandchild could take home a couple hundred.

As a result of her generous spirit and pleasant personality, she was loved by many.

Her beautiful life will forever be cherished in the lives of her lifetime soulmate: Brent Crawford; her children: David (Kitty) Parks and Maryellen Franz; Brothers: Bill (Pam) Derrick, Ken (Calane) Derrick; Sister: June West; Grandchildren: Joshua, Jessie, Caiti, Brandon and Georgia; Great Grandchildren: Jacob, Jasmine, Grace, Joshua Jr., Aubree, Sean, Mav, and Tristan; Great-Great Grandchild: Aria.

Her strong faith was as beautiful as the person she was. Her Grace before dinner can never be replicated. She quietly departed this life Wednesday night, November 6th, 2019. Her family will welcome visitors for a celebration of Joyce’s life from 12-4pm, Saturday, November 16th at Christ Lutheran Church (4501 Clinton Ave, Lorain, OH, 44055).