On Dec. 10, 2024, Melonie “Shawn” Parks (Jinks) of Lake Charles, La. passed away surrounded by her loving family.

Shawn was born on Sept. 15, 1957, in Lake Charles, La., the daughter of Norman and Karen Jinks (Speer). 

She was one of Barbe High School’s first graduating classes in 1975. She served on the committee to decide the school’s colors, emblem, and Buccaneer mascot.

As a senior in high school, Shawn met Kenny Parks and fell in love. Their romance was cut short when they moved away for college. Shawn attended Midwest Christian College in Oklahoma while Kenny embarked on his dentistry journey at Louisiana Tech.  They reunited back in Lake Charles during summer break and decided they didn’t want to lose one another again. Shawn followed Kenny back to school where she worked at a Safeway while he attended college. They tied the knot on Feb. 24, 1979 in their hometown of Lake Charles and began their life together. As partners, they raised two children together. Josh and Sarah were the joy of Shawn’s life.

Shawn spent the majority of her teaching career at Bishop Noland Episcopal Day School in 1990. She was known for her youthful spirit and brought so much fun to everything she was a part of at school. Her students remember her as a caring, patient, and passionate teacher that made coming to school fun. Shawn retired when her daughter, Sarah, was preparing to give birth to quintuplets. She left a lasting impression on her students during her time at E.D.S., one that won’t soon be forgotten. 

Shawn loved music. She was a talented musician and singer.  She sang in a folk band called Home Cookin’ in the late 1970s  and later lent her talents to the praise team at her church. 

Her family was the most important thing in the world to her. She devoted her life to care for others. It was her love language, and she had perfected it. Shawn’s most treasured role in life was that of grandmother to seven children.  Affectionately known as “PP,” she poured her love into them and left a beautiful legacy. The peace her presence provided her loved ones will be irreplaceable.

Remaining to cherish Shawn’s memory are her spouse, Dr. Kenneth Parks; her children, Joshua Parks (Catherine), and Sarah Champagne (Jett); her grandchildren, Owen, Tessa, Reece, Miles, and Corinne Plauche and Luke and Ella Parks; her siblings, Keith Jinks (Donna), Kristy Fontenot (Ray), and Nicole Duplechin (Scott), as well as, her nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death are her parents, Norman and Karen Jinks.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, at Johnson Funeral Home, 4321 Lake Charles, LA 70605. Visitation will be Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Visitation will resume on Saturday at 1 p.m. till time of service. The burial will be at Consolata Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center or The St. Nicholas Center For Children.

Words of comfort may be expressed at johnsonfu neralhome.net.