Barbara Jean “Bobbie” Parks, 96, a longtime resident of Romeo, died Saturday, June 3, 2023 surrounded by her loving family. She was born March 8, 1927, the daughter of Dr. Howard and Katherine (Miller) McDonald in Fairfield, Iowa. She married Robert Allen Parks on Nov. 6, 1948 in Pontiac. In 1975, she married Jim Chatterly.
Bobbie graduated from Waukegan High School in Illinois in 1945. She then attended the University of Michigan and Michigan State University.
Bobbie was a social activist and was a charter member of The Action Center in Romeo, a resource center for low-income residents. She served on the Romeo Board of Education for many years and on the Friends of the Romeo District Library. She had jobs locally at Hamill Manufacturing, Dr. Larry White’s office and the law office of Ken Afton and then operated a daycare center for many years in her home.
Bobbie loved books. She owned and operated The Book Gallery on Main Street in Romeo; bought and sold at many national book fairs and appraised books as well. She loved researching all subjects including the arts and was a jazz aficionado. She played both the violin and the piano.
Bobbie lived in Royal Oak for a number of years and while there, she was active in the Book Club of Detroit, Older Women’s League (OWL) and sang in choirs at the Birmingham Unitarian Church and the Paint Creek Unitarian Universalist Congregation. She retired from TACOM after 17 years and moved back to Romeo.
She is survived by her beloved children, Dave (Kim) Parks of Bruce Township, Kathy Averitt of Ruskin, Fla., Wendy Parks of Romeo, Missy Kramp (Curt) of Warren; grandchildren, Jessica, Lila, Adam, Neal, Nathan, Dylan, Shane, Megan, Hannah, Alex, Tessa, Carly, Kale and Laney; 16 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husbands, Robert Allen Parks and James Chatterly; daughter, Christy; grandson, Eli; granddaughter, Quillan; grandson, Eric; and her siblings, Carol Whittington, Christine Gaensbauer and Malcolm McDonald.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held 4-8 p.m., Thursday, June 8, 2023.
Interment will be in the Romeo Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the Romeo District Library in Bobbie’s honor.
Arrangements entrusted to the Muir Funeral Home & Celebration of Life Center.
Be sure to share a fond memory on her memorial page at www.muirfh.com.
