Obituary: Jeanne-Marie Parkes

Jeanne-Marie Parkes, at 89

Jeanne-Marie Parkes, age 89, of Hull and Stuart, Florida, died on October 11, 2023 at Huntsville Hospital in Huntsville, Alabama, after a brief illness.

She was the loving and devoted wife of Donald Parkes (Major, USAF Ret.), with whom she shared 30 years of marriage until his passing in 1991. She also was the loving companion of William Quinlan, with whom she was a snowbird between Massachusetts and Florida, until his passing in 2013.

Mrs. Parkes was born on Dec. 15, 1933 in Burlington, N.J., to the late Clarence Saunders and Marie Saunders Field. She graduated from Burlington City High School in 1951 and worked with civil service at McGuire AFB, where she met her future husband and subsequently moved off to a military migratory life at various Air Force bases within the US and overseas.

Mrs. Parkes was a world traveler with her husband, Don, and later her companion, Bill, taking various cruises and trips. She was able to take a family cruise with her son John and his family through the Baltic Sea, and later with both sons and their families through the Caribbean.

She settled in Hull upon her husband’s retirement from the Air Force at the end of 1973. Mrs. Parkes was a member of the Hull Garden Club for more than 40 years and served a term as its president. She held a few positions of prominence for the state, regional, and national garden clubs, including state president, New England regional director, and national garden club chairperson. While living in Stuart, she also became a member of the Stuart Garden Club, won numerous shows with her flower arrangements, and ultimately became a master judge.

Mrs. Parkes was a voracious reader and avid dancer who brought joy and laughter wherever she went. She made life fun for those around her – everybody loved her. She was a devout Catholic and spent many years as a lay Eucharistic minister with various churches. She was an excellent mother who was at every ballgame in which her sons played. She was a great cook whose meatballs and lasagna would be specially requested by friends and family.

Mrs. Parkes was the mother of John Parkes (Colonel, USAF Ret.) and his wife Karla, and Michael Parkes and his wife, Nora. She was the loving, adoring grandmother of Amanda, Matthew, and Donald Parkes, Kaitlyn (Alex) Barrera, and Joey Kehoe. She recently became a great-grandmother of Kleo Barrera. She was the older sister of Dee Fandetta and Earl Saunders (Lt. Col., USAF Ret.), and his wife, Sondra. She was the well-loved aunt of many nieces and nephews, friends, and family. Jeanne-Marie will be sorely missed by many.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, Oct. 29 from 4-8 p.m. at Pyne Keohane Funeral Home in Hingham. A funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary of the Assumption at 10 a.m. on Oct. 30. She will be buried at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in West Roxbury with her husband and other family members.

Visit www.keohane.com for online condolences.