BINGHAM – Nellie Macdougall Parks, 94, passed away surrounded by family at her home in Bingham on Sept. 16, 2021. Nellie was born June 25, 1927 in the Bingham, Maine Congregational Church Parsonage. She was the third daughter of Rev. Arthur and Leah Macdougall.

Nellie graduated from Bingham High School in 1945, and Colby College in 1949. In the Fall of 1950, Nellie became the Dean of Girls at Maine Central Institute in Pittsfield and three years later enrolled at Teachers College, Columbia University earning a Masters Degree in English with a minor in counseling. While attending Columbia, she had the good fortune to live in International House where only ten percent of the students were from the United States. Nell returned to Maine in 1954 to be the first Dean of Girls and the first woman in administration at Gould Academy in Bethel. At this time Gould Academy served as the local high school as well as a private boarding school.

Nell remained at Gould until she married Warren Wright Parks, II in May 1969 and moved to Schenectady, N.Y. where they lived briefly before moving to Philadelphia. In 1984, Warren retired and they moved to Bingham where more than 75 friends from Pennsylvania visited “Parks Retirement Lodge” over the next few years.

As her family grew into four generations, Nell loved them all and kept in touch with everyone. She was the family connector. Many of them visited Nell and Warren and stayed at “Parks Retirement Lodge” acquiring fond memories of the “big yellow house”. Nell was closely bonded with her sisters Leah and Jean, her brother Walter, and their spouses. Referring to themselves as “The Old Guard”, they enjoyed many trips around the Maine Coast and inland, or just sharing meals, holidays, and birthday celebrations together.

Nellie was predeceased by her parents; sister Jean; and niece Melinda Doel. She is survived by her sister Leah and brother-in-law Ed Rawding, brother Walter and sister-inlaw Judy Macdougall; Warren’s son Wright and daughter Amy; and nieces and nephews, Art Dingley, Betsy Lane, Miriam Parks, Martha DeCesere, Faith Rawding, Rebekah Greenwood, Ellen Rawding, Nellie Rawding, Arthur Macdougall, Malcolm Macdougall and George Macdougall.

In her later years, Nellie developed a close friendship with and a deep appreciation for neighbors Janet and Dan Melcher who helped in numerous ways allowing Nell to live independently. In addition, Nell is sincerely grateful for the dedicated care given to her by her nephew Dr. Arthur Dingley and niece Betsy Lane.

There will be no funeral service as four generations are scattered too far and wide. Her ashes will be buried in Russell, Mass. by Giberson Funeral Home, Bingham, Maine.

A To leave a condolence for the family and to view the online obituary, please visit http://www.gibersonfuneralhome.com

Warren and Nell were both very active members of First Congregational Church.

It is Nellie Macdougall Parks’ wish that donations in her memory be made to:

First Congregational Church

PO Box 114

Bingham, ME 04920



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