TOWN OF TOWN MIDDLEBOROUGH ANNUAL REPORT 2007 REPORT ANNUAL

2007 TOWN OF MIDDLEBOROUGH ANNUAL REPORT 2007

ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

TOWN OF MIDDLEBOROUGH

MASSACHUSETTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2007

“CRANBERRY CAPITAL OF THE WORLD”

338 YEARS OF PROGRESS

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1 2 DEDICATION

EDWARD W. PARKS

Ed Parks more than just a man about town passed away on November 17th 2007

The glass encased 49 star American flag displayed behind his burial urn at the funeral parlor had the following wording: Major (retired) Edward W. Parks U. S. Army and Army Reserve. I served under 48 stars, I now rest under 50.

Those that knew him know his service and commitment to his family, community, state, and coun- try did not end when he was liberated as a Battle of the Bulge P.O.W in Stalag IVB near the end of World War Two. The most prominent of his many military awards and decorations that he re- ceived over his time in the U. S. Army and Army Reserves were three Purple Hearts, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star and his advancement from the enlisted rank of Sgt to Major over his long and distinguished military career.

He was passionate when it came to his patriotic feelings for his country and how others at home and around the world should line up in support of causes that his country felt were important to world peace. When the French government took their stand in opposition to the U. S. in the cur-

3 rent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan after 9 – 11 he threatened to return his French War Cross, and his French Croix de Guerre. He finally made amends with the French government and in the spring of 2007 was nominated for the French Legion d’ Honneur. This is the highest French mili- tary award and equivalent to the U. S. Congressional Medal of Honor. Unfortunately he passed away before final action could be taken on whether or not to award him this distinction.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Disabled American Veter- ans, the Purple Heart Association, and P.O.W association serving in leadership positions locally and nationally in each of the organizations over the years. He held positions on the governing bo- dies of both the VA hospital and the National Cemetery systems. In his spare moments he found time to be a part of a Civil War reenactment group.

Ed married his wife Christine M. (West) Parks shortly after World War II and before he finished his Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from Tufts University in 1949. His wife died only days before him. He moved to the Black Brook Farm in South Middleborough back about that time to raise a family. He is survived by his daughter Nancy and 3 sons, William, John, and Mi- chael. His oldest son Edward passed away within the last 2 years. Ed took an active role in raising his children in the rural neighborhood of Rock Village. This included being a 4H leader in the South Middleborough Swine and Sheep Club. He and his family enjoyed farming and raising li- vestock on the expansive acreages that he purchased over the years in his neighborhood.

He was co-owner of the Parks Corporation of Somerset MA from 1950 -1990 where they made and distributed varnishes and shellacs nationally and around the world. In his professional life he was a member of the U.S. Shellac Importers Association, the American Chemical Society of Pro- fessional Engineers, the Paint and Coating Association, and the Alpha Sigma Phi.

Around town he took an active role as an elected member of the Middleborough Gas and Electric Commission, and served on the Agricultural Commission, Historical Commission, the Weston Park Committee, and the Century Association.

As his final legacy he worked with the Middleborough Planning Department to set up a conserva- tion restriction to protect from development the 800 acres of pristine land around his home called the Black Brook Corridor in the fall of 2007 that benef