Parkes, George Ernest (Died)

PARKES - George Ernest of Woodstock, Ontario, born December 25th, 1925 and passed away August 27th, 2009 at the Yarmouth Regional Health Centre in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. He is survived by his wife of 61 years Betty (nee Harrington), sister Patricia and husband Jim Lefler, sister-in-law Doreen (McClay) Parkes, his children Pam and her husband Rob Hagen, Ernie Parkes and his wife Kathleen Fitzgerald, Ray Parkes and his wife Mary, and Rebecca Parkes. George will be remembered by his eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Predeceased by his brother and business partner Bill Parkes and his parents Ernie and Ethyl (Hawke) Parkes. George graduated from UWO in 1948, was president of Elgin Parkes Wholesale in Woodstock, St. Thomas and Ingersoll for 46 years. President of the Oxford Golf and Country Club/ Craigowan, President of the Woodstock Curling Club, Board member of the St. Thomas Golf and Country Club, President of the St. Thomas Curling Club, President of the Ontario Curling Association, Chair of the 1974 Canadian Brier, and Chair of the 1978 Canadian Senior Men’s Curling Championship. George also served as a board member for the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital. Friends will be received at the Longworth Funeral Home, 845 Devonshire Ave., Woodstock (519-539-0004) on Thursday, September 3rd, 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. A celebration of George’s life will be held in the funeral home chapel on Friday, September 4th at 11:00 a.m. Contributions to the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital, Woodstock General Hospital, or the Cardiac Surgeryat London Health Sciences Centre would be appreciated. Online condolences at www.longworthfuneralhome.com