Don Kenneth Parks

1943 - 2025

Don Kenneth Parks, a lifelong Christian Vietnam Veteran, went to be with his Lord and Savior on June 26th, 2025, after a hard fought battle against the effects of exposure to Agent Orange. His bright blue eyes are sparkling and sharp again and he is walking Heavens pathways with family and friends and a huge happy smile.

Don was born on September 21, 1943, an equinox baby, to Kenneth and Beulah (Torrison) Parks in Wolf Point, MT. He was the first little brother of three older sisters Audrey, Bonnie, and Cleone, with the youngest brother Everon following a few years later completing the family.

The family would live in a few different locations around the NE corner of Montana. Don and his friends growing up had a love of guns and hunting and every spare minute possible was spent travelling the back roads of McCone and Roosevelt Counties.

After his high school graduation in 1962, Don was drafted, and went through basic training in Fort Ord, California, and was there when JFK was assassinated. Don served his country in the Vietnam War with honor and pride and it would be the only time he ever left the shores of America.

After his discharge in 1966, he was driving along Nickwall Road and passed the Whitmer farm. Two brothers were teaching their sister, Mary Ann, how to shoot a rifle. Never missing a chance to shoot, Don pulled in and the pretty little gal wasn't able to hit a rock on top of a fence post with the rifle she was using. Don pulled out his reliable .243 Winchester Featherweight bolt action with Leopold scope and told her to put the dot on the rock and squeeze the trigger. The rock evaporated and the next 60 years is a hunting, shooting, and fishing romance story for the ages. To this day, the "gun that got us married" is still in their home and is a symbol of their enduring relationship. They were wed in Wolf Point, MT on November 23, 1966. Son Barron D in 1967 and daughter Gina Ann was born in 1969.

Don drove big rigs for a few years working out of Wolf Point, Glendive, and Circle, MT, until an opportunity to use the communications training and Signal Corps service from the Army happened along and he was offered a job as a lineman for Mid-Rivers Telephone Co-op. Mid-Rivers was soon expanding and in the spring of 1976, an opening in Grass Range seemed like a good idea, so Don and Mary Ann moved to Central Montana. Don would work a full 30-plus year career with Mid-Rivers and saw several technological advances during his tenure. He climbed poles fixing copper lines, then installed thousands of miles of underground copper lines, then upgraded to fiber optic cable, and then in the twilight of his career worked and maintained the equipment for wireless communications.

The hunting, fishing, and outdoor activities around Grass Range fit Don very well and he never missed an opportunity to take his wife and kids trapshooting, scouting for big game, watching rodeo's, or any other anything else going on outside creating treasured memories too numerous to count. Games of cribbage, UNO, and pinochle with friends and neighbors were played to all hours of the night. Don and Mary Ann could always be found cheering on Barron, Gina, and all the Grass Range Rangers at their games and later they loved to travel and cheer on their grandchildren playing football and basketball.

Don was a proficient reloader of firearms ammunition. All calibers and gauges of shotguns and rifles were examined, tweaked and modified until the perfect load for each weapon was found. His "gun room" was where some of the best hunting, trapshooting, roping, and big buck memories were regaled with family and friends.

Don was led to Heaven by his parents Ken and Buelah, sister Audrey (James) Marcom, sister Bonnie (George) Sagissor, sister Cleone (Mick) Davis, sisters-in-law Debbie Parks, and Betsy Jueschke, nephews Doug Marcom, Ken Sagissor, Tom Sagissor and niece Ella Marcom. Don is survived by his supportive, caregiving, wife of 58 years, Mary Ann, brother Everon Parks, son Barron (Linda) Parks, daughter Gina (Troy) Delaney, grandchildren Joel (Kayla) Parks, Kyllisha (Nate) Swanner, Trenton Delaney, and Kaylyn (Justin) Malecek, six dearly loved great-grandchildren, and numerous brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The celebration of Don's life will be held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 1st, 2025 at the Grass Range Cemetery.

Contributions in Don's name can be made to the Grass Range Endowment, 401 7thAve. S. #208, Lewistown, MT 59457 or the central Montana charity of your choice.

Arrangements are under the care of Creel Funeral Home. Don's family and friends can share memories and condolences at www.creelfuneralhome.com