Gregg Wiley Parks ’61

Gregg died April 9, 2007, ironically from a torn aorta, after he had battled cystic fibrosis since his 20s and often joked that he was the oldest person in the nation with that disease.

Born in Ann Arbor, Mich., he came to Princeton from Mariemont High School near Cincinnati. At Princeton he majored in history, took his meals at Colonial, and played 150-pound football.

Gregg earned a master’s at Indiana University in 1965 and a Ph.D. in English from the University of Wisconsin in 1974. He taught English at Northland College in Wisconsin and then at the University of Minnesota, retiring about 10 years ago. A committed outdoorsman, he enjoyed swimming, biking, skiing, and canoeing, while maintaining a lifelong workout regimen and therapy to combat the constraints of cystic fibrosis. Gregg was a voracious reader and had a great appreciation for classical music.

He is survived by Betsey, his wife of 43 years; his son, Jonathan; his mother, Sarah; his sister, Mary Ann; his brother, Brad; and many extended family members and loving friends. Betsey wrote, “I’m sure that Princeton played a large part in creating this amazing person.” We join the family in saying farewell.