He was born on September 22, 1934, to Lillian Mae Cockrell Parkes and William Guy Parkes. Mr. Parkes was retired from Taylor Machine Works and was a member of West End Baptist Church.
Royce is survived by his children, Ashley Parkes Rodgers and husband, Mitchell, of Kosciusko, Mississippi; Tonya Parkes Burkett and husband, Brad, of Decatur, Georgia; and Bill Parkes and friend, Kim Moody, of Louisville, Mississippi. He is also survived by his sister, Sylvia Estes, of Louisville; and by three grandchildren: Samantha, Nathan, and Bentley Rodgers. He was preceded in death by his parents; and his brother-in-law, Wayne Estes.
Serving as pallbearers will be William Clark, Craig Foster, Hal Nowell, Garvin Whitten, Donnie Woodruff, and Barry Yarbrough. Memorials may be given to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Services are under the direction of Nowell-Massey Funeral Home, 724 North Columbus Avenue, Louisville, MS. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family by signing the guest register at www.nowellmasseyfuneralhome.com.