Mary Frances (Sloan) Parke, 87, of Oakland City passed away Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2013 at Deaconess Hospice Care Center surrounded by her family and entered heaven with the love of family and friends.

She was born June 21, 1926 in Francisco.

She graduated from Francisco High School in 1945. She worked at various jobs before marrying Warren Wade Parke in 1946.  She became a housewife and raised her family in Oakland City. She instilled in her children hard work, determination, (maybe a little stubbornness) and the joy of singing silly little songs.  Family was important to her and she wanted her children to remain close and to be there for each other. She enjoyed surprising her family by unexpectedly showing up at their door with a helping hand or something that they didn’t know they needed.

After her children were raised, she became an avid golfer, enjoying many hours golfing with her sister and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents George Dan and Frances Elizabeth Steiner Sloan, her sister Elladean (Jill) Sloan McWilliams and her brother George Lester (Buddy) Sloan

She is survived by her children, Donna (John) Bartley, Ronald (Kay) Parke, Jeanne McConnell all of Oakland City, Carla (Fred) Parke-Bell of Huntingburg, Janelle (Mike) Aigner of Lynnville and Tina (Tom) Parke Spencer of Fort Collins, Colo. She is also survived by 29 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren and 5 great great grandchildren.

We want to sincerely thank Dr. Rick Crawford and his staff, the staff at Deaconess Trauma unit, unit 3600, and Hospice for the exceptional care they gave Mom and our family. You hold a special place in our hearts.

Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 19, 2013 at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Oakland City with Dr. Douglas Low officiating. Burial will be at Montgomery Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 3-7 p.m. Sunday at Lamb-Basham Memorial Chapel in Oakland City and from 8 a.m. until the service Monday at the church.