Funeral Held for Former Grand Rapids Mayor, Lyman Parks

Grand Rapids (WZZM) - Funeral services for former Grand Rapids Mayor, Rev. Lyman S. Parks, were held Saturday afternoon in Grand Rapids.

Parks passed away at the age of 92.  Services were held at noon Saturday at the First AME Church of Grand Rapids.

Parks will be buried in Kokomo, Indiana.

He was Grand Rapids first and only black mayor.  He served as mayor from November of 1971 to January 1976.  He was also the 3rd Ward City Commissioner from 1968 - 1971.  Parks was the pastor of the First A.M.E. Church in Grand Rapids from 1966 - 1986.

Parks and his wife, Cleo, have 6 surviving children and 16 grandchildren.  He and his wife have been living in Lisle, Illinois for the past year.  

One of his children, Lauri, is Grand Rapids' City Clerk.  Wednesday she recalled her grandfather: "What made him so special was he could bring people from all different walks of life together... he just loved people it didn't matter who you were or what your walk in life was."

According to a biography in the Grand Rapids Public Library, Parks was selected mayor after Mayor Robert Boelens resigned in June of 1971.  Parks then won election to his own term as mayor in November of 1971.

Parks also served on the State Officers Compensation Commission after being appointed by Governor William Milliken in 1982.  After retiring from being pastor at the First A.M.E. Church in Grand Rapids in 1986, he became pastor of another A.M.E. Church in Chicago.  He moved back to Grand Rapids in 2001.  He was also a member of the Kiwanis club, NAACP, Urban League and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

Mayor George Heartwell has released the following statement: "I note with deep sadness the passing of former Grand Rapids Mayor Rev. Lyman Parks. Mayor Parks served this city as its only African American Mayor to date. He oversaw a period of economic growth and helped assure that prosperity extended to all communities within our city.

Mayor Parks led this community through an extraordinary time of social change and, with his calming presence and visionary leadership, saw us through to a new era of racial justice. I urge all citizens of Grand Rapids to reflect on Mayor Parks' leadership and hold his family in your thoughts and prayers."

Lauri Parks recalled a "quiet ride to Ada" her grandfather told her about.  That ride resulted in Rich DeVos and Jay VanAndel purchasing the old Pantlind Hotel, and renovating it into the Amway Grand.  That private investment was the first step in a series the pair later made toward renovating downtown Grand Rapids.

The city flag will be flown at half-staff until after Mayor Parks' funeral and the mayor encourages other residents and businesses that fly the city flag to do likewise.