Mariellen Parks passed away Friday, December 29th at Massachusetts General Hospital. She was 56. A lifelong Medford resident, she was the daughter of the late Donald and the late Roberta (Grace) Parks.
As one of 14 siblings, Mariellen was the go-to person for help with her nieces and nephews and other neighborhood children. Although not a mother herself, her maternal instinct was expressed by her loving care for the young people in her life. She was like a nanny to many of them, helping to bring them up with much love.
A fixture in her neighborhood, everyone knew Mariellen as a nice person who was always welcoming to others. A woman with a kind heart, Mariellen loved her family and neighbors and was an awesome aunt and Godmother. She enjoyed cooking and baking from scratch, and did this often with children. Mariellen liked to visit the Mystic Lakes and occasionally tried her luck with scratch tickets.
Mariellen was a dear sister to James Parks and his wife Theresa, Debra Medeiros and her late husband Edward Sr., Karen Parks, William Parks and his wife Margaret, Dawn Gentile and her husband Ralph, Lawrence Parks and his wife Pamela, Elizabeth Parks, Lori Castagnetti and her husband Robert, Julie Martin and her husband Dennis, Donald Parks Jr. and his wife Laurie, Robert Parks and his wife Shelia, Keri Parks, and Brenda Orlando and her husband Carl. She was also a loving aunt and Godmother to many nieces, nephews and Godchildren.
Mariellen’s funeral will be from the Dello Russo Funeral Home, 306 Main St., Medford on Saturday, January 6th at 10 AM, followed by a Mass of Christian burial celebrated at Saint Raphael Church, 512 High St., Medford at 11 AM. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. Visiting hours will be on Friday from 4-8 pm.