

A life that touched so many hearts will be forever remembered.
Obituary
Carolyn Patricia Parks was born September 24, 1954, to the late Richard James and Catherine Marie Parks. A shy, introverted child in her young life, Carol enjoyed the comforts of home. Everything was in her one room where she often stayed, but God had plans for Carol and would expand her life in every way.
Born into a Christian home, Carol received Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age. From this relationship, the Lord manifested his plan for Carol, which involved both a ministry and educational path. Throughout her Christian journey, she maintained church memberships and affiliations compatible to her multiple regional locations she would live, beginning with her church upbringing in Philadelphia, PA, to Wheaton, ILL, Macomb, IL, to Knoxville, TN, to Cleveland, OH, to Raliegh, NC, to Hartford, CT and to Atlanta, GA. In each state, Carol sought church life that enabled her to both further mature in Christ and serve God by serving others in various capacities.
Beginning at Cheyney State College in 1975, Carol began her educational journey. She attempted her first degree there in biology but later switched schools where she earned her B.S. in Biology from Wheaton College in 1981. She continued and earned a master’s degree in health education, Community Health Education from Western Illinois University in 1984. Lastly, Carol went on to pursue her doctorate. In 1993, she obtained her Ph.D. in Education, Health Education from The University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Now known as “Dr. Carolyn Parks,” her education would take her in various places to teach, mentor, and train others and be a dynamic voice for the African American community and communities at large.
It is too much to record all of Carol’s professional achievements. She’s achieved a lot! However, her research and practice expertise included areas such as: African American public health issues; health education and health promotion through African American churches; health education and health promotion methods and strategies for populations of color and disadvantaged populations; community-based/grass-roots health education research and interventions; community assets mapping; cultural and linguistic relevancy of health education and health promotion for populations of color and disadvantaged populations; community-based participatory research methods and interventions; empowerment education; HIV/AIDS interventions for at-risk African American women, women living with HIV/AIDS, and international settings.
Carol recently celebrated retirement of four decades of a professional career as an educator and United States government worker. As an educator, Carol taught undergraduate and graduate college students at various universities, the last being for seven years at Temple University, as Associate Professor of Instruction, in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Public Health. She made an impact here and changed the cultural divide by her teaching and sharing relevant experiences. From 2007-2017, Carol worked for the USA Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. Her work with the CDC was in various capacities, largely with an emphasis on HIV research and prevention. She was a CDC consultant, team leader and participant in work nationally and internationally.
As a writer, Carol produced or co-wrote with colleagues; her works appearing in peer reviewed journals, book chapters and articles, technical reports and training manuals, educational materials, and other publications.
As a researcher, Carol secured research grants, one being for over $140,000 that she secured with a colleague at The National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, known as The PRAISE! Project: Dietary Guidelines in African American Churches.
Carolyn was also invited to present in various forums. She was the sole presenter for Black Scholars and Professional Staff, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, in Atlanta, GA in a workshop on the recent Covid pandemic, where she discussed Understanding and confronting COVID-19 in the Black community.
Her most recent professional memberships included: The American Public Health Association, Public Health Education Section, the Society for Public Health Education, National Chapter, and Christian Community Health Fellowship.
If you are interested, Carol’s detailed curriculum vitae is accessible online by typing her name on Google.
Carol’s commitment to her faith and love for God, enabled her to serve Him in various places and capacities. Although never appointed an official title in the church, she served as a short-term missionary with Have Christ Will Travel Ministries to the country of Haiti and was a faithful prayer and financial supporter of numerous global mission missionaries and ministries. Carol’s clear ministerial strength was discipleship. Over her forty-year journey living out of state, Carol conducted Bible studies and mentored numerous individuals in their spiritual faith journey and service to Christ. In Raleigh, NC, she founded and directed Parkworth Neighborhood Bible Club and Youth Group, and was Director of Leadership Development, Sunday School Instructor, and Youth Leader at Macedonia United Church of Christ. Carol had a melodious voice, which she used for God’s glory. She sang in her eldest sister’s group, the Victories of Philadelphia and was a soloist in her own right who perfected a unique brand of a cappella singing. She was featured in concerts and was often called upon to render a solo at various church functions.
Carol was a true devoted elder sister, aunt, and friend. She remembered birthdays and special occasions and always sent a gift—on time and apologized if it was late. She was very funny and would have you laughing in stitches. Most of all, Carol always maintained her own identity--never copying anyone’s style or seeking to adjust her way to appease another. She was a role model for many. Her presence will surely be missed.
Affectionately known as Auntie, she leaves to cherish her memory: 4 sisters and brothers: Judith B. Parks, Ronald W. Parks (wife Cynthia), John S. Parks, and Eleanor D. Parks; 6 nieces and nephews, Caprice D. Crawford (husband Perry), Willie Charles Signil IV (wife Sitina), Kimberly T. Alcorn, Catherine V. Signil, Christopher Signil, and Bryant Parks (wife Kelly); 18 great nieces and nephews; a devoted lifetime friend, Dr. Vanessa Quainoo (husband Joseph) and her 3 godsons, Matthew, Timothy, and John Quainoo; a host of 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation cousins; and numerous national and international beloved friends.
Timeline
Knoxville
1984 M.S., Health Education, Community Health Education major, Western Illinois
University
1981 B.S., Biology, Wheaton College (IL)
1975-1976 Biology, Cheyney State College
Sciences, Temple University, College of Public Health
2017 Part-time Faculty, Department of Health and Human Performance,
Community Health Education Program,Cleveland State University, College
of Education and Human Services
2016-2017 Part-time Contributing Faculty, MS in Health Education and Promotion
Program, Walden University, College of Health Sciences
2008-2017 Senior Service Fellow Behavioral Scientist, National Center for HIV/AIDS,
Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention,
Capacity Building Branch, Science Application Team, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC)Description 2013 International Consultant and Team Leader, CDC-TanzaniaPrevention
Branch, Dar as Salaam
2012 International Experience and Technical Assistance Program Participant. CDCKenya HIV Prevention Team, Nair
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Together, let us continue the legacy of compassion and kindness that Carolyn embodied throughout their life.