Frances Deane Chase Parks 

October 4, 1928 — August 1, 2026 

Parks, Frances Deane Chase, of St. Charles, MO, passed away peacefully on August 1, 2026, at the age of 97. 

Frances was the devoted mother of six children: John W. Parks, Jr. of Purcell, OK; Robert “Bobby” Parks of Tulsa, OK; the late Richard Parks of Tulsa, OK; Roxanne (Tim) Spaethe of St. Peters, MO; Charles (Jennifer) Parks of Roxana, IL; and Susan (Tom) Caraway of St. Charles, MO. 

She was the cherished grandmother of Adam Parks of Kansas City, MO; Jacquelyn Spaethe of St. Louis, MO; Emily Bowen of Tulsa, OK; and Aarol Brown of Dallas, TX; and the treasured great-grandmother of six great-grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, John W. “Jack” Parks; her parents, Thomas “TG” and Eupherosin Chase; her son, Richard Parks; and her two brothers, Thomas Chase, Jr. and Charles Chase, both formerly of Chicago, IL. 

Frances is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends. 

Life & Legacy 

Frances was born on October 4, 1928, in Cleveland, Tennessee, to the late Thomas “TG” and Eupherosin Chase. During her youth, her family moved to Illinois due to her father’s job transfer with Swift & Company. She attended Oak Park High School, then due to a family move, transferred her senior year to Lyons Township High School where she graduated in 1946. She went on to complete her associate degree at Lyons Township Junior College in LaGrange, Illinois. 

It was during her college years that she met Jack, the love of her life, when he returned from the Army. The two were married on June 11, 1949, and shared 65 wonderful years of marriage together until Jack’s passing in 2015. Their first three sons were born in Illinois and Indiana. As Jack built a 41-year career with the railroad, their journey took them to various communities across the country while their family continued to grow. Portland, Albuquerque, and Tulsa were especially favorite destinations before they ultimately settled in St. Charles, Missouri. 

Frances maintained a very active and social role in her community. Always dedicated to her family, she was deeply involved in her children’s school activities as a room mother and active volunteer. She was the biggest cheerleader at all of her children’s many activities, games, practices, and recitals.

Over the years, she was an active member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority, served as an election judge, and was honored with a nomination to represent the Republican Party at a Presidential Convention. After her children were grown, she embarked on a fulfilling career as a real estate agent, working in the field until her retirement in the late 1990s. 

In retirement, Frances and Jack loved traveling and exploring new places together, creating cherished memories in Jamaica, Savannah, New Orleans, and Juarez. They also enjoyed visiting family in Tennessee, Arkansas, Mobile, Florida, Chicago, Texas, and Tulsa – where their three oldest sons lived. She kept detailed journals of their fun adventures, and photo albums full of special memories. Friends and family would look forward to her Christmas cards which always had a creative original poem she made about the fun adventures they had during the year. 

Frances had a joyful creative energy and a love for bringing people together. She loved hosting parties and was an outstanding cook and baker. She was always filling the cookie jar with special treats and trying out new recipes. Frances loved decorating their home for every holiday, with many of her unique handmade crafts. She loved music and was always singing her favorite songs or humming a tune. She enjoyed many hobbies including reading, drawing, painting, sewing, knitting, playing bridge, and participating in her craft club. She loved mysteries, history, and westerns, and looked forward to watching the latest popular series shows. She was so smart with an amazing memory, and often knew the final Jeopardy answers and could complete difficult crosswords and sudoku puzzles with ease. Before Google, friends would often say “call your Mom and ask her” about something and she would always know the answer. 

Above all, Frances cherished spending quality time with family and friends, and was a passionate dog lover throughout her life. She was truly one of a kind, deeply loved by all who knew her, and her joyful spirit leaves behind a legacy of love that will be cherished forever. 

Services & Memorials 

Visitation / Services: A private family service will take place at a later date. 

Memorial Contributions: In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Frances’ memory to Five Acres Animal Shelter in St. Charles, Missouri.