Nancy Gilmore Parks

Nancy Gilmore Parks passed away peacefully at her Southold home on Dec. 29, 2025.

Born Dec. 21, 1939, in St. Paul, Minn., to Gordon L. Gilmore and Ethel Mae S. Gilmore. A graduate of the Cathedral School of St. Mary in Garden City, N.Y. and Goucher College (B.A. in English), Baltimore, Md. in 1961 when she married her lifelong love, Arthur A. Parks. She began teaching in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., before moving to New York City, where she was a children’s book editor.

Nancy moved to Kansas City, Mo., where she built a distinguished career as an award-winning journalist, copywriter, producer, and playwright. Creative director and co-founder of Parks/Parks & Company, she helped earn numerous awards and also served as a Midwest stringer for The New York Times. She worked at the Kansas City Community Foundation and Youth Friends, a mentoring program for school-aged children.

Nancy will be remembered as a modest, gentle, and creative spirit with an inquiring mind. Her smile famously attracted friends like bees to pollen.

Survived by her husband, Arthur A. Parks; daughter Robin P. Lockwood (Mark); grandson Crosby P. Lockwood; twin brother Richard Gilmore; and her nieces and nephews. Predeceased by her parents and brothers Robert and James Gilmore.

A memorial service will be held Jan. 24, 2026, at 10 a.m. at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Greenport. A celebration of Life will follow in Kansas City. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to East End Hospice, The HealthWell Foundation, NPR, PBS or a charity of your choice.

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