[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 33 (Thursday, March 1, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E293]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO BISHOP JOSEPH WILSON PARKS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BILL PASCRELL, JR.

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 1, 2012

  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Bishop Joseph 
Wilson Parks, for his contributions to the State of New Jersey and to 
our nation. On February 15, 2012, Bishop Parks passed away at the age 
of eighty-one. As a spiritual leader, mentor, and community servant, 
Bishop Parks dedicated himself to bettering the lives of others.
  Bishop Parks was born on January 7, 1931 in Wilkesboro, North 
Carolina. He was one of six children of Ernest R. Parks and Lura V. 
(Barber) Parks. Although he began high school in Wilkesboro, NC, Bishop 
Parks ultimately received his high school diploma from Harren High 
School in New York City.
  In 1945, Bishop Parks joined the Mt. Olive Fire Baptized Holiness 
Church in Harlem, New York. At the young age of seventeen, Bishop Parks 
became one of the first Junior Deacons at Mt. Olive and would later go 
on to serve as a Senior Deacon for ten years. Bishop Parks was a member 
of Mt. Olive Fire Baptized for twenty years.
  On November 27, 1951, Bishop Parks was drafted into the United States 
Army. For eight years, he proudly served his country during the Korean 
War and would ultimately receive an Honorable Discharge.
  After returning home, Bishop Parks went on to work in the printing 
industry for thirty-eight years. During his time in the printing 
industry, he was a proud and active member of the Local 1--Amalgamated 
Lithographers of America.
  On January 30, 1954, Bishop Parks married the love of his life Anna 
B. Harmon Parks.
  Bishop Parks went on to graduate from Manhattan Bible Institute in 
New York City, receiving his Bachelor's degree and Master's degree in 
1968. He also received an Honorary Doctorate from Fuller Normal 
Industrial Institute in Greenville, South Carolina. In 1965, Bishop 
Parks was ordained as a reverend and appointed pastor of St. Peter 
F.B.H. Church in Paterson, New Jersey.
  In 1973, Bishop Parks and his family moved to Paterson, New Jersey, 
where he continued to serve his church. Upon moving to Paterson, Bishop 
Parks became an active community advocate throughout Paterson. Bishop 
Parks was a member of the Paterson Pastors' Workshop, St. Joseph's 
Hospital Pastoral Care Team and instituted numerous ministries that 
benefited the community.
  On November 24, 1994, Reverend Parks was ordained as a Bishop of 
Sounds of Praise Pentecostal Ministries, under the auspices of the 
Bishop Chandler David Owens, Chairman of the Church of God in Christ.
  For those lucky enough to have known Bishop Parks personally, they 
knew that his family and faith meant everything to him. I know that he 
will be missed by his children, family, friends, and congregants, but 
most of all by his wife Anna B. Harmon Parks.
  On February 25, 2012 the memorial service and funeral for Bishop 
Parks took place in our hometown of Paterson, New Jersey. I was humbled 
to have the honor to speak at Bishop Parks' memorial service. Having 
known Bishop Parks throughout my career in public service, I can 
confidently say that his life was a life well-lived.
  The job of a United States Congressman involves much that is 
rewarding, yet nothing compares to recognizing and commemorating the 
achievements of truly selfless individuals like Bishop Joseph Wilson 
Parks.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join our colleagues, Bishop Park's family 
and friends, all those whose lives he touched, and me, in recognizing 
Bishop Joseph Wilson Parks.

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