Clayton Craig Parks

Clayton “Clay” Parks – loving husband, protective dad, proud papa, loyal brother and friend – passed unexpectedly on August 25. A native Phoenician, Clay was born on July 16, 1954, to parents Charles and Liesle (Miller). The fourth born of eight children, Clay developed people skills early on that would be the foundation of his successful career.

Though his family was considered poor, he shared fond memories of childhood: summers at Coronado Pool, back-alley bike rides, skateboarding, Little League baseball games, and a family of 10 piled into a 1957 station wagon. Clay attended Camelback High School, class of 1972, and was a member of the football and swim teams, as well as the hiking club. He attended Phoenix College and Arizona State, working multiple jobs to cover his rent and tuition. 

In his free time, he loved to hike Piestewa Peak and bragged to his girls how he ran it twice per day in his 20s. He applied that athleticism to law enforcement, first in the Sheriff’s Department and then as a Phoenix Police Officer (commissioned July 26, 1976). It was that job that led him to his loving wife, Joni, whom he crossed paths with while doing a follow-up police report at St. Joseph’s Hospital. They married on August 22, 1980, settling in Ahwatukee in 1982 with the birth of their oldest daughter, Melissa. In 1984, with the birth of their second daughter, Christina, he resigned from the Phoenix Police Department and began working for his father-in-law’s business, Keller Equipment. In 1987, his third daughter, Rebecca was born. Keller Equipment was the launchpad for a successful career in electrical motor sales, where Clay’s people skills truly shined. He loved interacting with clients and others in the industry, many who became lifelong friends through EASA (Electrical Apparatus Service Association). 

Clay was a true “girl dad,” who embraced the chaos of Barbies, dance recitals and tennis lessons. His job in sales allowed him to be present at nearly every performance, teacher conference and tennis match, while also introducing his girls to camping, fishing, long bike rides, hikes on South Mountain, and (unsuccessfully) hunting. He was thrilled to welcome each of his son-in-law’s (Dominic, Bobby, and Adam) into the family, saying he was no longer outnumbered by females. He beamed with the birth of his first grandchild, Dylan, and adored his granddaughters Katherine, Brooklyn, Nora, and Stella. 

Clay loved to travel with Joni, but his favorite place was their cabin in the White Mountains. They had recently traveled to Costa Rica and Holland, with more plans to explore after his retirement. He had always joked to his family that he would work until he died, but recent health issues stemming from the side effects of cancer treatment in 2010 led him to announce he’d retire in January 2025. A practical jokester with a dry sense of humor, it’s perfectly fitting that he did just as he said he would. 

Clay is survived by his wife, daughters, son in laws, grandchildren, sister Jenny, and brothers Brian, Tommy and Johnny. 

A visitation will be held on Friday, September 6, from 4pm to 6pm, with a funeral service to be held on Saturday, September 7, at 9am at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Rd, Phoenix.

In lieu of flowers, his family asks that donations be made in his name to the Phoenix Zoo, Arizona Center for Nature Conservation, in honor of his love for the desert and its habitants, especially desert tortoises: https://www.phoenixzoo.org/support/donate/.