Donna Jean Smarr Parks of Tangier Island

Donna Jean Smarr Parks, 77, wife of the late Ernest Edward Parks, Sr., passed away Friday, December 16, 2022 at her home on Tangier Island, VA. Born June 28, 1945 in Baltimore, MD, she was the daughter of the late Grover Cleveland Smarr and Docia Franklin Smarr.

Throughout her childhood, Donna spent most of her summers on Tangier, where she met the love of her life, Ernest Ed. A few short months after she graduated from Sparrows Point High School, in Baltimore, they were married. Though Ern was captain aboard the tug, Donna captained the ship at home. Never one to let anything go to waste, Donna managed her household to the penny, could prepare a meal out of just about anything, and always kept her home organized and tidy. For many years, she was the island’s hairdresser and everyone knew if you wanted a good perm, you went to Donna’s. She enjoyed playing board games, loved a good western, and especially looked forward to visiting Ernie’s crab shanty.

Left to cherish her memory are her children, Ernie Parks, Jr. and his wife, Rose, of Tangier and Lisa Pusey of Salisbury, MD; sister, Cindy Wheatley and her husband, Freddie, Jr., of Tangier; brothers-in-law, Larry Parks and his wife, Millie, of Westover, MD and Wayne Parks and his wife, Sarah, of Crisfield, MD; grandchildren, Lewis Wheatley and his wife, Kristan, Olivia Pruitt and her husband, Brian, Trisha Wheatley and her fiancé, Brian, and Kayla Crockett and her husband, Nathan; great-grandchildren, Brandon, Peyton, Brody, Madi, Weston, Rowen, Elliott, Kelsey, and Kole; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband and parents, she was predeceased by her brother, Charles “Butch” Smarr, and sister, Patricia Ann “Patty” Parks, who passed the same day as Ernest Ed, December 28, 2020.

Funeral services will be held at the New Testament Congregation on Thursday, December 22, 2022 at 2:00 p.m., with Elder Duane Crockett officiating. Interment will follow in the Parks Family Cemetery. There will be a visitation at the church Wednesday, December 21, 2022 from 7:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.