Temecula's First Mayor, Key To Early Development, Dies At 79

TEMECULA, CA — Temecula’s first mayor Ronald Parks, who is credited with fostering crucial development projects in the city’s formative years, has died at age 79.

Parks died on August 10, his birthday, in Murrieta. He had been mayor, city council member and part of the city staff for a combined 17 years, the city said in a statement. His years as mayor spanned all or parts of 1989, 1990 and 1991.

Parks was key to Temecula’s incorporation, current Temecula Mayor Maryann Edwards said in the statement. During the city’s “formative” and high-growth years from incorporation in 1989 through 1996, Parks as public works director oversaw developments including two malls, a Home Depot and expansion of Pechanga Parkway including its bridge, the statement says.

"There was nothing" in those early days, Edwards told Patch. "There was no government in place and they built the foundation for one of the greatest cities in the country. They had to decide everything. We stand on the shoulder of giants."

Parks was known too for “wisdom” and “wit," the current mayor added.

“His jovial nature, warm personality and a mischievous twinkle in his eye made him a perfect fit for Temecula’s first, and in my mind, Temecula’s ‘forever’ Santa,” Edwards said, recalling Parks' willingness to dress up each Christmas for local kids.

Parks was born in Oklahoma City and moved with his parents to Bellflower, Calif., in 1948. He earned a civil engineering degree at California State University Long Beach and moved to Rancho California (Temecula's pre-incorporation name) in 1972 to work as an engineer before creating his own company, Ramtek. He was elected to two city council terms but stepped down during the second, in 1996, to join the city's public works office.

Parks is survived by his wife Debbie, three children — Dan, Erin and Lisa Parks — two stepchildren, 11 grandchildren and an uncle, Edwin Nix. Family members told The Press-Enterprise he died of complications from heart surgery.

Members of the public may attend a 10 a.m. funeral Mass at St. Martha Catholic Church, 37200 Whitewood Road in Murrieta, on August 31. An 11 a.m. reception will follow at Temecula City Hall, 41000 Main St.