Clayton "Clay" Parks

Clayton Parks, age 32, of Elgin passed away on February 15, 2019. He was born in Peoria, Illinois, on February 26, 1986, to Roger and Leslie Parks, and grew up in Princeville, Illinois.

Clay was a human resources manager at Henry Pratt Co. in Aurora, Illinois, where he worked since November. He also was an alumnus of Northern Illinois University where he graduated in 2014 from the College of Business.

Clay was a force to be reckoned with. He commanded attention when he entered a room and could strike up a conversation with anyone he came into contact with. His smile and his laugh were contagious, and he was a fierce protector of his family and friends. He was an avid sports fan (Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs), and he had many hobbies, but his family was his greatest joy. He took his responsibilities as a husband and father very seriously and held those titles above all else.

He is survived by his wife, Abby Parks (Bowen); his son, Axel Parks; his mother and step-father, Leslie and Dave Kendra; brother, Cole Sloan; his in-laws, Todd and Kim Bowen; sister-in-law, Kaylynn (Mike) O’Donnell; and his maternal grandmother, Charlene Bell.

He was preceded in death by his father Roger Parks; paternal grandparents, Earl Dale Parks and Evelyn Casley; and his maternal grandfather, Bill Deer.

As we celebrate Clay’s life, please come dressed in what makes you most comfortable. For Clay, that was sports attire or Salt Life brand clothing. He left the formal dress for work, so let’s show our love for him by honoring his stance on comfortable clothing and wearing what’s most comfortable to us, whether that’s sports attire, Salt Life, or something else!

All are invited to gather together to celebrate Clay's life at a visitation to be held on Saturday, February 23, 2019 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM with a 2:00 PM chapel service at Willow Funeral Home 1415 W. Algonquin Rd., (one mile east of Randall Rd.) Algonquin. Interment will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Parks family using the following GoFundMe campaigns:

Clay Parks Memory Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/clay-parks-memory-fund

Clay Parks – Axel Parks’ College Fund #AuroraStrong: https://www.gofundme.com/vmtbaj-aurora-strong-axel-parks-college-fund

online condolences may be directed at willowfh.com or for Service Information: (847) 458-1700

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Clayton "Clay" Parks, please visit our floral store.