The History

JOHN S. PARKS 

Pioneer Alaskan and Fairview community activist
John S. Parks, 88, died March 31, 1995, in Pasadena, Calif.

Mr. Parks was born Jan. 7, 1907, in Oklahoma. He attended high schools in Oklahoma and California and married his childhood sweetheart, Geneva Feu.

Mr. Parks came to Alaska from California in 1951. He first worked as a journeyman carpenter, then in construction. He was a member of Local 1281 of the Carpenter’s Union from 1951 to 1968.

Mr. Parks was instrumental in getting streets in the Fairview area paved and the Eastchester post office started. He advocated for low-income housing, parks and recreation, public transportation, expanded police force and community relations, and neighborhood libraries. He also was a proponent of the city mass-transit system.

“He was the unofficial mayor, mentor and one-man Chamber of Commerce of Fairview,” said longtime Anchorage resident Thelma Davis.

Mr. Parks formerly worked for the Alaska State Housing Authority and fought for fair housing treatment for minorities.

He was a former delegate to various Democratic conventions in the state and was active in politics. Many will remember his efforts in getting people registered to vote, Anchorage historian George Harper said.

Before being elected as NAACP branch president during the 1970s, he recruited many members. After resigning as president after two years, he decided to run for the state House of Representatives. He also ran for city council. He served in many other community organizations.

Mr. Parks was a retired carpenter and enjoyed all sports, especially boxing.

His family said: “John never had any children of his own, but loved children. He would help anyone in need. If he had a dime, he would give you a nickel if you needed it. He was known in California as John ‘Sonny’ Parks or ‘Uncle Sonny.’”