Mary Lucille (Freeman) Parks Dovel

Mary Lucille (Freeman) Parks Dovel, of Pawnee City passed into the loving arms of her Savior on October 10, 2021, at the age of 92. She was born to Glenn and Gladys (Shields) Freeman on May 25, 1929, in Oneida, Kansas. She grew up in the Brown/Nemaha County Kansas area moving with her family to Table Rock, Nebraska, in April 1947, and graduated from Table Rock High School in 1948.  After high school, she started her long career as a nursing aide at the old Pawnee Hospital caring for many over the years. She also worked a few years at Campbell Soup in Tecumseh.

Mary loved to garden and had huge gardens, and especially loved flowers.  She picked up and shelled hundreds, if not thousands, of quarts of walnuts. She crocheted too numerous to count dish towels and baby blankets by feel even after losing most of her sight. She worked hard her whole life and did not like to be idle, keeping her hands busy while watching TV. Mary was always ready to lend a helping hand.  She truly loved her time in nursing and caring for others.

On January 1, 1950, she married Leland Parks and to this union were born three children:  Joyce, Rodger, and Janice.  After Leland’s death in 1997, she married Ellis Dovel in April 2000.

Preceding her in death were her husbands, Leland Parks and Ellis Dovel; her parents ,Glenn and Gladys Freeman; stepfather, Lester Harris; brothers Glenn Freeman Jr., and Bob Freeman; sisters, baby Phyllis Freeman and Shirley Crisler (Bob); brothers-in-law, Arnold Kalina, Larry Day, Richard Gilmore, Lavern Parks (Luella), Fredrick Parks (Eunice), Melvin Parks (Alodyne), Willard Binder; sisters-in-law, Elsie Borcher (Clarence), Lola Hoffman (Marvin); stepson, George Dovel; nephews, Randy Kalina, Tim Hoffman, Jeffrey Parks; and niece, Margene Parks.

She leaves behind her three children, Joyce Mazzulla (Jim), Rodger Parks, and Janice Perdew (John); sisters, Verna Kalina, Bessie Gilmore, and Ruthie Day; sisters-in-law, Joan Freeman, Bonnie Freeman, Minnie Binder; grandchildren Dawn Wilson (Dave), Curt Parks and significant other Shannon Kaster and son Aaryn, Jonnie Meints (Anthony), Orlando Ferraro (Carolyn), Jayme Perdew, Danyel Bures, and Miki Rice (Kimball); step-granddaughter, Hannah Dovel; and great-grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Chase Meints, Cortney Wilson, Cassidy Parks, Kaylee and Kynslee Bures, Lucas Ferraro, Ethan, Brandon, Aiden, and Isabella Rice; along with countless other family members and friends.

Funeral Services will held at 10:30 AM Friday, October 15, 2021 at First United Presbyterian Church in Pawnee City with Pastor Diane Morgan officiating. Interment will follow in the Salem Cemetery near Steinauer. A viewing and gathering of family and friends will be for 1 hour preceding services on Friday at the church. Memorials are suggested to the family’s choice in care of the mortuary. Condolences may be left online at www.harmanwrightmortuary.com. Harman-Wright Mortuary in Beatrice in charge of arrangements.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary Lucille (Freeman) Parks Dovel, please visit our floral store.