Stanley Earl Parks, Jr. “Stan the Man”, 71

Stanley Earl Parks Jr., “Stan the Man”, 71, of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, passed away on Dec. 31, 2021, at the Schneidmiller Hospice House, with his children by his side.

Stan “Junior” was born Dec. 27, 1950, in Whitley City, Ky., and was the second of four children. He looked up to his older brother, Rankin, was best friends with his younger brother, Jerry, and loved his little sister, Debi, like no other.

Stan grew up in Mount Healthy, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati, where he loved baseball, fishing and hunting. Stan was a lifetime Kentucky Wildcats and Cincinnati Reds fan! He proudly served in the U.S. Navy as a personnelman, starting in Virginia Beach, Va., where he met and married Charlotte Van Hise.

They welcomed their daughter, Courtney, during their time in Cincinnati and followed their dream of moving across the country to Idaho to work for the U.S. Forest Service. He loved his job, spent in the woods and the hard, gratifying work, going new places and meeting great people.

After Stan and Charlotte divorced, he met and married Christine Adreveno and welcomed their son, Jerry, and daughter Cassandra. Stan and Chris provided the family a beautiful home in Hayden, where their children grew up surrounded with love and support. They later divorced in 1998.

Stan loved to learn and continued his education throughout his life, attending classes at Boise State University and earning college degrees from University of Idaho and North Idaho College in business management.

He retired in 1998 from the U.S. Navy after 28 years of service out of Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, Wash., as a chief personnelman. After retiring from the U.S. Forest Service in forest management in 2001, he had dedicated over 25 years to the Wallace Ranger District and the Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District, Fernan Office. Stan continued to contract for several summers driving Forest Service personnel and supplies to fire camps.

Dad didn’t sit idle for long, and soon he was employed by the Coeur d'Alene School District as an aid for special-needs students and got work with a great student, Casey, for many years. Stan volunteered at Kootenai Health, helping with clerical duties and, in true Stan form, bragged to EVERYONE about his children and grandchildren! He was a VERY proud Dad and Papaw and his family is his legacy. Every wall in his house is covered in pictures that he absolutely treasured.

Cancer took Dad from us, but he put up one hell of a fight! Some know all too well about the ornery “Parks” gene, the orneriness that drove us crazy at times, but we also know it was that orneriness that helped keep cancer at bay for as long as possible. Dad fought hard and we are proud to call him our Dad and Papaw!

He is preceded in death by his father, Stanley Sr.; his mother, Opal Christine (Crit); brother Jerry and sister Debi.

Stan is survived by older brother Rankin (Glenna) Parks of Somerset, Ky.; children Courtney (Jason) Roeber of Idaho City, Idaho, Jerry Parks of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Cassandra Parks of Hayden, Idaho; grandsons Samuel, Ian, Haidyn, Kyler, Mac and Xander and granddaughter Mia; as well as many nieces and nephews who adored their Uncle Junior.

A memorial service for Stan will be held on Friday, July 22, at 11 a.m. at Yates Funeral Home in Coeur d’Alene, 744 N. Fourth St., followed by full military honors at Forest Cemetery. Immediately following, the family welcomes you to celebrate his life at the Ponderosa Springs Golf Course, with memories, food and drinks. Much love and gratitude to his neighborhood friends, THANK YOU for loving our Dad!

Arrangements are provided by Yates Funeral Home. Online registry and condolences may be found at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.