Army veteran Ray Parks honored with commemorative pin at Rockton retirement home

ROCKTON, Ill. (WTVO) — An 87-year-old Army veteran living at a retirement home in Rockton received a commemorative pin for his service on Thursday.

Ray Parks served in the U.S. Army from 1958-1964. He started serving in Fort Benning, Georgia and was then transferred to Germany, where he saw active duty.

After two years, he returned to the U.S. and remained in the Army Reserve for the rest of his service.

Currently, Parks lives at Highview in the Woodlands, at 1000 Falcon Point Place, in the Memory Care community.

“It’s an honor,” Parks’ daughter, Jodi Garland, said at Thursday’s pinning ceremony. Park was surrounded by Garland, his son, and three grandchildren as he received a special pin from Mercyhealth’s At Home Hospice saluting veterans.

“I’m very proud of him. he doesn’t talk much about his time in the service. So just to hear him talk about a little bit, it’s, It’s really a pleasure. We’re very proud of him,” Garland said.

Along with the pin, Parks received an American Flag throw blanket and a wooden wall plaque featuring his name.