Dr. John Martin Parks, 76, of London, died July 1, 2014 after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born September 3, 1937, in Cumberland, MD and was the son of the late Dillon C. and Helen B. Parks of Scherr, WV.

He married his wife of 47 years, Sharon Scherrer from Sherrard, WV in 1967. He received his BS in Biology from West Virginia University at Morgantown in 1960, his MS in orinthology from the University of Miami, Coral Gales, FL in 1963, and his PhD in plant ecology from the University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK in 1968.

He was a professor of biology at WVIT from 1968 until retirement in 2003. He served as head of the biology department from 1969-2002. He loved teaching in the small school atmosphere. After retirement as Professor Emeritus he maintained the greenhouse at Orndorff Hall of WVU Tech and served as an instructor for seminar in Dendrology to surveying students.

He was a member of the WV Academy of Science and presented many papers. He served as president and was the current treasurer of the WV Chrysanthemum Society. He grew and showed many chrysanthemums with many show winners. Along this journey he developed a show winning spray cultivator that was named after his mother in 1980 and it remains a show winner throughout the country.

He was a member of the Fraternal Order of the Eagles Montgomery Aerie #1040 where he had served as secretary/manager for 8 years. He was a district and state officer in FOE as well.

He enjoyed the horticulture of orchids and chrysanthemums, gardening, birding, antiquing, flea markets, dancing and time with friends.

Surviving are: his loving wife, Sharon; brother Robert and wife Cindy; nephews Bruce and wife Lisa and family and Brad and wife Donna and family; cousins Ellen Hanlin, Orland Parks and wife Pat and family, Mike Parks, James Parks and wife Brenda, and Margaret Ann Deiss; sister-in-law, Judy and husband Owen Fetty; niece Anna Marie and husband Rob Slie and family.

A celebration of John's life will be held Sunday, July 6, at 3 p.m. at O'Dell Funeral Home, Montgomery with Rev. Kenneth Huffman officiating. A private family burial will be held at a later date in Maysville, WV. Friends may call two hours prior to the service at the funeral home.

Expressions of sympathy can be sent at www.odellfuneralhome.com.

The family would like to thank all of the doctors, specialists, and nurses at CAMC Memorial and at Hubbard Hospice House for their wonderful care that was given.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to: the David Lee Cancer Center, 3100 MacCorkle Ave., Charleston, WV 25304; Hubbard Hospice House, 1001 Curtis Price Way, Charleston, WV 25311; or Kanawha/Charleston Humane Association, 1248 Greenbrier St., Charleston, WV 25311.