Mr. Ernest Edward Parks Jr., 57, passed away Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, on Tangier Island. Born Jan. 22, 1966, on Tangier, he was the son of the late Ernest Edward Parks Sr. and the late Donna Jean Parks.
Ernie was a loving and devoted husband, father, and pop. A lifelong waterman, Ernie captained his own boat for many years and later worked alongside others as their first mate. He was one of the hardest working men on the water and anyone he worked for would say he was one of the best mates around.
A few of his favorite things were spending time with his grandkids, often riding them around on his scooter, spending time with his wife and daughters, and hanging out with his buddies under the awning at the dock. Ernie was a kindhearted person who was willing to help anyone in need, no matter what it was. He loved his wife, daughters, and grandchildren fiercely, and they were his world.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Rose Parks; daughters, Olivia Pruitt and her husband, Brian, and Kayla Crockett and her husband, Nathan; grandchildren, Peyton, Madi, Weston, Rowen, Kelsey, and Kole, all of Tangier; and sister, Lisa Pusey, of Salisbury, Md. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his grandparents, Ernest and Della Parks and Grover and Docia Smarr.
Family and friends gathered for a time of sharing at Swain Memorial United Methodist Church on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023, at 1:30 p.m., followed by a memorial service at 2:00 p.m., with the Rev. Charles W. Parks III officiating.
Contributions in Ernie’s memory may be made to the Tangier Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 239, Tangier, VA 23440.
Memory tributes may be shared with the family at
www.williamsfuneralhomes.com
Arrangements were by the Williams Funeral Homes, Onancock and Parksley.
