Janet "Jann" Parks

June 3, 1936 - October 9, 2016

Janet “Jann” (Whalen) Parks, age 80 of Mecosta, passed away unexpectedly, Sunday, October 9, 2016 in Mount Pleasant, MI. Mass of Christian burial will take place Friday, October 14th, at St. Michael Catholic Church in Remus at 11:00 AM. Family will greet friends at the church from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Thursday with a Rosary Service at 7:30 PM, and from 10:00 AM to the time of service on Friday. Those desiring may direct memorial contributions to God’s Helping Hands. Envelopes will be available at church. Jann was born June 3, 1936, the daughter of Francis and Verna (Reuman) Whalen. She married the love of her life, Dowayne Parks, and together the two grew their family to include six children. Jann loved to quilt and was very good at it. She volunteered at God’s Helping Hands whenever she could, washing the donated clothes and making them look new. Keeping busy was never a problem for Jann, between family events and projects she started, there was never a dull moment. She enjoyed her years spent driving school bus and truly loved all the children she drove for. Jann was known to be a “social butterfly” that knew everyone. Whenever she met someone new, she would have to ask their last name to find out if she knew any members of their family, which, she typically did. Left to cherish her memory are her Husband of nearly 62 years, Dowayne; Children, Ann (Lew) Jensen, Elizabeth Dysinger, Patrick (Tonya) Parks, Susan Chaney, and Victoria Morrison; brother, Richard Whalen; sister, Caroline (Robert) Duncan; 16 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in Death by her mother, Verna; father, Frances, and son, Brian. And as Jann would say, “Have a nice day, unless you have other plans”.