Parks Franklin Elmore

BELMONT - Parks Franklin Elmore Sr., 95, died Saturday morning, June 16, 2012, at Gaston Memorial Hospital.

Parks was born May 14, 1917, in Gaston County to Mae Harrison Elmore and John Hayes Elmore. He was preceded in death by two sisters, Martha Erwin Elmore and Susan Eleanor E. Howe; and two brothers, John Hunter Elmore and Robert Glenn Elmore.

Parks was educated in the Belmont schools. He retired from The Westinghouse Corporation in 1984. He was a veteran, having fought in the South Pacific during World War II. He was a lifetime member of First Presbyterian Church.

In earlier years, he enjoyed attending South Point High School football and baseball games as well as American Legion games. He always had a prolific vegetable garden with tomatoes being his specialty. He graciously shared his produce with his neighbors and friends.

In later years, Parks' greatest joy was spending time with his grandchildren, and most recently his five great-granddaughters and one great-grandson.

Parks is survived by his wife of 67 years, Ruth Wilson Elmore; daughters, Erwin E. Mercer (Fritz) of Charlotte and Nancy E. Collins (Mike) of Belmont; sons, Frank Elmore Jr. of Belmont and Mark Elmore of Houston, Texas; his grandchildren, Ashley E. Caudle (Rick) of Belmont, Frank Elmore III of Florence, S.C., Catherine Collins Gravatt (Justin) of Glastonbury, Conn., James M. Collins Jr. (Kristen) of Greenville, S.C., Fritz Mercer, III (Darcy), Denver, Colo., Sarah Catherine M. Gibbs (Wood) of New Bern, and Elizabeth Mercer of Charlotte; great-grandchildren, Anna Claire Caudle, Catherine Francis and Mary Collins Gravatt, Charlotte, and Michael Collins and Adeline Mercer. Parks is survived by sister, C. Ruth Elmore of Belmont.
Graveside services will be conducted by the Rev. Samuel P. Warner at 11 a.m. Monday, June 18 at Greenwood Cemetery, Belmont.

The family will receive friends immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to The Belmont Community Organization, P.O. Box 1248, Belmont, NC 28012; or First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 1, Belmont, NC 28012.

The family would like to thank the staff of Gaston Memorial Hospital and Courtland Terrance Rehab for its devotion to Parks during his illness.

Arrangements are entrusted with McLean Funeral Directors, Belmont.