Obituary of Mary P. Parkins

Mary “Honey” Parkins passed away peaceably on August 6th, in the presence of her sister Suzanne, at the nursing home, where she had resided over the past two years Born in Houston, Texas, on December 1, 1936, Honey spent much of her early childhood visiting with family in both Mount Vernon, NY, and Harrisburg, PA. After a stint living in Washington, DC, where Suzanne was born, the family moved to Shreveport, LA. School days introduced Honey to music and band, in which she played the tuba! After graduating from Byrd High in Shreveport, Honey studied art, first at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art, and then later she graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Art. One of her first jobs was head designer for Wannamaker's window and holiday displays in Philly. She delighted her siblings with extraordinary holiday decorations from her work during this time. Some have even gone on to delight the next generation of family. Honey married to Dr. Frederick “Fritz” Parkins, and their first son, Bradford, was born in Newport, Rhode Island. They later moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where Christopher was born while Fritz enrolled in dental school. Her creative designs and artistry were focused on family life at this time--from sewing haute couture to fine dining and interior design. After a short stint in Narberth, Pennsylvania, the family moved to Iowa City. Honey's independent spirit and thinking, her love of nature and artistic callings challenged the norms, established by the status quo. On her own terms, she excelled at whatever she put her heart into. She worked for a number of years as the window display creator at Seifert’s clothing. She was particularly known in the Iowa City community for her large store-front window murals, commemorating the local Iowa sports team, the Hawkeyes, or during the holiday seasons, a wide array of holiday scenes and characters, which she created with her late partner, Jim Geata. An artist in the kitchen as well, she is fondly remembered for her delicious cuisine, shared generously over the years with family and friends. A member of the Iowa City Unitarian Universalist Church, Honey coordinated the Children's Activities for a number of years both at the Church, as well as the UU Camp in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Under her direction many children enjoyed learning an incredible spectrum of arts and crafts during this time. Honey lived on her own terms and died on her own terms. And there is no doubt that wherever she is, she will continue to do the same. She is survived by her children, Bradford Milton Parkins of California, and Christopher Merrill Parkins of Vermont; her siblings, Suzanne Morriss-Batchelder of Texas, Alex Morriss of Washington, Lisa Morriss-Andrews of Ontario, Vicky Jaworski of California, her grandchildren, Kiana and Shawn Parkins, both of California, William Morriss or Nevada and Jeffrey Morriss of Washington, Alex Morris of Ontario, and extended family from all over. She is predeceased by her parents, Mary and Herb Morriss of Shreveport, LA, and California; and several beloved cats. The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Mary’s caregivers at Windmill Manor in Coralville for their understanding and kindness. Donations in her memory may be made to Meals-on-Wheels (Iowa) or the Johnson County Humane Society.