Stephen Parks, April 13, 2008

Published in Austin American-Statesman on Apr. 16, 2008

Stephen F. Parks, 60, of Austin died unexpectedly on Sunday, April 13, 2008 as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He is survived by his loving wife, Louise Parks; daughters, Ursula Parks and Sarah Ballou Parks; and son-in-law, Rob Acker. Steve is also survived by his sisters, Susan E. Parks of West Stafford, CT and Cynthia A. Parks of Florence, MA and their families. He is survived as well by many devoted in-laws, all from New Orleans, LA: father-in-law, Louis Treuting and his wife Maryanne; and siblings-in-law, Jack Treuting, Rick Treuting, Tom Treuting, Kiki Russ, Gretchen Hayman, J.B. Treuting and their families. Steve’s mother-in-law Tut Treuting predeceased him. The youngest child of Richard Ballou Parks and Ruth Dygert Parks, Steve was raised in Brighton, New York, near Rochester. After graduating from Brighton High School, he attended Yale University where he graduated in 1969 with a B.A. in history. Following college, he worked with the Yale Repertory Theatre. Steve and Louise met in Austin three years after he completed Yale, while Steve was working as a technician at the University of Texas Department of Drama. He went on to become the initial Technical Director of the Performing Arts Center. Steve was predeceased by both parents and his mother’s second husband, K. Thayer Soule of Sun City West, AZ. He leaves two step-sisters, Robin Mandell of Sun City West, AZ and Cindy Thrane of South Burlington, VT and their families. Steve pursued a lifelong love of the technical aspects of theater. His career spanned more than 30 years, including serving for 7 years as technical director of the Austin Lyric Opera. He also worked with the Cultural Arts division of the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department and volunteered with many local nonprofit performance groups including, Teatro Vivo, Zilker Hillside Theater Productions and the Mexican-American Cultural Center. He also served on the Technical Production Committee, Opera America; the International Liaison Committee, United States Institute of Theater Technology; and was a Board Member of the Austin Ballet Theater. In 2002 Steve resumed employment at the University as Director of Production in the Office of Relationship Management and University Events. Steve’s impeccable sense of responsibility and commitment to the highest professional standards were the hallmarks of his professional life in both technical performance production and events planning. A long-time Austin resident, he was proud to have contributed toward the city’s growth as a center of cutting-edge performing arts. Above all, Steve enjoyed his family. He loved planning and taking trips with his best friend, Louise, with whom he built a life. His pride in Ursula’s, Sarah’s and Rob’s achievements was boundless. His dry sense of humor, love of history, especially Parks/Dygert geneology, boundless intellectual curiosity, strong belief in human dignity support of civil and human rights, and his appreciation for a good time partying were all vital aspects of a most generous and considerate man. The universe is now a more polite and well-organized place. The family is deeply grateful for the efforts and ongoing support of the Austin Fire Department and their firefighter family. They are also profoundly comforted by their astonishingly compassionate circle of friends. A memorial service will be held in Austin on Friday, April 18th at 4:00 p.m. at the University Catholic Center, 2010 University Avenue. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Texas Civil Rights Project or to the local community arts organization of the donor’s choice.

Class Notes: Stephen F. Parks died in April, as a result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident. He is survived by his wife, Louise, whom he met in Austin three years after Yale, and two daughters. Steve was a long-time resident of Austin, Texas, where he served seven years as technical director of the Austin Lyric Opera. He was also a board member of the Austin Ballet Theater. His life was the theater and his family. Sam Weisman writes: ”We got to know each other late in our Yale career, through the Dramat. But then in 1970, we worked together at a summer theater in Maine, the Brunswick Music Theatre. Steve was one of the technical directors, and I was a clueless general manager, a job that was handed off to me by our classmate, David Johnson. We had a great many laughs that summer, and Steve may have been one of my earliest mentors in the entertainment business. At our 35th reunion, I saw him for the first time since that summer, and he was the same witty guy, with the same beard and smile. It was a joy to see him again. He will be missed.“ Andy Schnier writes, ”Steve was one of the nicest people I met at Yale. Always smiling. A kind soul whom it was always nice to be around.“

John Gazzoli writes: ”Steve had one of the sharpest wits in our class. Wonderful guy whose sense of humor will be sorely missed by all of his many friends.“ And from John Nelson: ”Steve seemed to always have that impish smile on his face, an easy laugh, sometimes caustic wit. He loved the theater, which he taught at the University of Texas for many years. He was smart as a whip, very funny, a fabulous friend, teacher, colleague, husband, father, son, and brother to his two elder sisters, who have been a comfort to Louise in Austin. Amazingly, his mom died just weeks ago, following a bout with dementia, though no illness could dent her powerful kindness and gentle way. His dad had passed away many years ago, and his mom remarried a filmmaker, also from their circle of friends in Rochester, with whom Steve bonded pretty easily. . . . I am hopeful that anyone who knew Steve from either Directed Studies of our class or the Dramat will please forward news of his passing to fellow DSers of our class or other Dramat classes during our time at Yale (especially ’67, ’68, ’70, ’71). He really loved the theater. And dancing to the Beatles.“

[in_memoriam_closing]