Claire L. Parkes

Claire Parkes (Lavallee), age 85 of Hingham passed away peacefully on July 7th with all of her five children by her side. She was born on September 27th, 1930 and grew up in the Berkshires. As a young woman she moved to Boston, where she worked at the John Hancock Building. It was around this time she met Robert Parkes, and they were married soon after. She worked full-time while raising her five children, becoming a manager at several local restaurants. 

She lived in various homes throughout the South Shore, before settling in her family home in Hingham. She lived in this home until her passing. 

She enjoyed going to the beach, cooking for the holidays, rooting for the Patriots, going to family events, and spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was the heart of the family and will be dearly missed.

She leaves behind five children, Robert Parkes Jr. and daughter-in-law Sue Ellen Weed-Parkes, Jim Parkes, Steven Parkes and daughter-in-law Stephanie Stathe, two daughters, Mary Parkes, Dot Parkes and her partner Frank Connors, six grandchildren, Gary Dunham Jr. and wife Sara, Avery Parkes, Talia Parkes, Alexander Parkes, Matthew Parkes, and Aislinn Parkes, four great-grandchildren, Justin, Tyler, Luke, and Aydan Dunham, and one sister, Rosemarie Hyde. She was predeceased by her daughter Annette Parkes, siblings Emma Bennett, Eugene Lavallee and Roseanne McCarthy, late husband Robert Parkes Sr., and son-in-law Gary Dunham Sr. 

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend the visiting hours on Thursday 5-8 PM in the Pyne Keohane Funeral Home, 21 Emerald St. (off Central St.), HINGHAM. A Celebration of Life Service will be held in the funeral home at 9:15 AM Friday prior to the Funeral Mass in Church of the Resurrection, Hingham at 10 AM. Burial in St. Paul’s Cemetery, Hingham.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Claire may be made to St. Vincent de Paul Society, 18 Canton Street, Stoughton, MA 02072.