March 8th, 1928 – March 2nd, 2019
Ruby Irene (Capps) Kyrk, age 90, passed away peacefully at her home, March 2, 2019. Ruby was born March 8, 1928 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Arthur and Florence (Williams) Capps, one of 7 siblings. Much of her childhood was spent traveling with her musical family as “The Capps Family Royal Entertainers”. They played music for dances, rodeos and were one of the first big-screen bands in the movie “Thunderbirds”. She graduated from New Plymouth High School in 1945 and in 1946 she married George LaVar Parks. They had 4 children; Linda, Larry, Loren and Layna. Over the next 20 years she would work as a dental assistant, telephone operator, thinned timber, milked cows, ran a combine and delivered flowers from a Garden Valley green house. Ruby and LaVar ended their marriage in 1960.
While working for Farm Bureau Insurance, she met and married Robert Kyrk in 1971. In 1976 they started a successful independent insurance adjusting business in Weiser, Idaho. Bob introduced her to the game of golf, which she continued to love and play into her late 80’s. They divorced in 1988. Ruby loved music and dancing. Many of her kids and grandkids have been blessed with her talent gene. She loved rocking babies and watching her grandkids grow up. She was so proud of their accomplishments. She inspired those around her to look at nature and the world with curiosity. She loved golf, swimming, camping, exploring the Arizona dessert, crossword puzzles, rock hunting, and ice cream. She will be remembered as a unique individual who danced to her own drummer and encouraged her love ones to do the same. Ruby was preceded in death by her son; George Loren Parks, her parents; Arthur and Florence Capps, two sisters; Ima Lake and Helen Derr. She is survived by her sisters; Gladys Whadford – Escondido, CA and Alice Fisher; brothers Max and Gene Capps; daughters; Linda (Roy) Mink, Cambridge, ID, Layna (Jeff) Hafer, Weiser, ID, a son; Larry Parks, Page, AZ. Ruby is also survived by her 12 grandkids; Rob Blazier – Boise, Nate (Nicole) Mink – Weiser, Jason (Deb) Mink – Cambridge, Chad (Corrina) Mink – Meridian, Taylor (Tanya) Mink, Weiser, Tanner Mink – Walla Walla, Aaron (Mariah) Mink – Grants Pass OR, Larry (Anne) Parks – Emmett, Heidi (Aron) Mitts – Emmett, Tammy Harker – Deer Park WA, Katie (Ryan) Sexton – Tigard OR, Anne Hafer – Portland OR, 26 great grandchildren, and 3 great -great grandchildren. The family would like to thank Jeff and Layna Hafer for taking such good care of their mom/grandma. Special thanks to Heart and Home Hospice. A celebration of life will be held this summer at the Parks/Mink Family Campground in Cambridge. Date to be determined.
