Palestine High School Alumni Association

00 / 00 / 194?  –  07 / 31 / 2006

Graveside services for Jimmy Ray “Clem” Parks, 64, of Mesquite, and formerly of Palestine, will be at 1 p.m. today in County Line, Texas with the Christian Cowboy Association officiating. Burial will follow in County Line Cemetery.

Mr. Parks died Monday in Mesquite.

He was the son of Fletcher Scott Parks and Iona Ripley.

Mr. Parks lived most of his life in Palestine until he moved to Mesquite a year ago. He graduated from Palestine High School in 1959.

Mr. was a professional rodeo star with the Steiner Brothers and was known as “Montana” in the rodeo circuit. He worked at the King Ranch as caretaker and also worked for Doc McCall in Palestine. He also was an actor and was known as “Clem.” He caught the acting bug in 1946 after portraying the “Green Boy” at The Ritz movie theater in Crockett.

Mr. Parks worked as a guard at Hillsborough Junior College in Tampa, Fla. and was commended for his help in apprehending a student selling drugs on campus.

He was a member of the Cattlemens Association and was an ordained minister.

Mr. Parks is survived by two daughters, Nelda and Donna; sisters, Geraldine Read, Charline Thomas and Retha Thorton, all of Palestine; and brother, Danny Parks of Palestine.

Source: Palestine Herald-Press 08-05-2006