Kathryn Virginia “Parks” Smith

October 7, 1923 - October 20, 2020

Kathryn was born Bernice Mahara on September 27, 1923 to Marguerite Mahara of Peroia Illinois. She was adopted by Fred and Gretta Sperry and was given the name Kathryn Virginia Sperry. Her birthday was changed to October 7th 1923, when she was adopted by the Sperrys. Kathryn met John William Parks and was married in Spartensburg, South Carolina on June 7th 1941. Kathryn had 5 children Cynthia Ann Parks who passed on October 28th 1943, Margalu Crete Reardon, Sylvia Sue Hoover, John Stephen Parks and James Stewart Parks. Kathryn had eight grand children Donald, Gary and Tammy Reardon, Bobby Hoover, Scott and Debbie Parks, Stewart and Lerena Parks. She had 2 step granddaughters Rachel Smith and Jessica Gann. She had 25 great grandchildren and 5 great great grandchildren. Kathryn lived an eventful life, following John while he was in the service. She was busy being a wife and mother and grandmother, working for the PR1 school district in food service and retired from First National Bank in Ft. Collins. Kathryn was a lover of the out of doors and enjoyed teaching her children and grand children to hunt and fish. She was a snowbird for a while, bouncing back and forth between Colorado and New Mexico. She liked fast cars and 4 wheeling and was even riding jet skis at 85 but finally gave up her driver’s license at 90. Kathryn was an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary and was President of the George Beach Post 4 auxiliary earlier in life. After Johns passing, she remarried twice Earl Schauppner and Charles Smith and survived both. She lived in Truth or Consequences NM for several years but relocated back to Ft. Collins to be closer to her family. She lived on her own up until 2016 when she moved in with Jim and Margaret until her death on October 20th 2020. Kathryn was preceded in death by her daughter Cynthia Ann, husband John William Parks and son John Stephen Parks. She is survived by Margalu Crete (Leroy) Reardon, Sylvia Sue (Larry) Hoover, Judy Parks wife of late son John Stephen and James Stewart (Margaret) Parks.