The widow of Northern Illinois University alum Clayton Parks, who was killed in a 2019 shooting at Henry Pratt Co. in Aurora, hosted a food drive recently in his honor.

Abby Parks marked what was dubbed Clayton Parks Day on Feb. 26, named in her husband’s memory.

She mobilized family members and friends to refill two Aurora-area community fridges with food, according to a news release.

Fridge project spokesman David Cannon said Abby Parks and other volunteers filled fridges that are placed outside at Fresh Start City Church, 10 S. Lancaster Ave. and at Jo-Ana’s Salon, 374 High St.

“We are deeply grateful for this beautiful act of remembrance and generosity,” Cannon said. “We invite everyone to be part of this ongoing effort, either with food or funds or labor.”

The community fridges are outdoor refrigerators and pantries, accessible 24/7, 365 days a year, that offer free food to anyone in need – no questions asked, Cannon said in the release.

Cannon said the motto is: Give what you can, take what you need.

Clayton Parks, 32, a 2014 NIU grad from Elgin, was fatally shot by a Henry Pratt employee while at work on Feb. 15, 2019. Clayton was the plant’s HR manager.

Clayton, NIU senior 21-year-old Trevor Wehner of Sheridan, and three of their coworkers – Russell Beyer of Yorkville, Vicente Juarez of Oswego and Josh Pinkard of Aurora – were killed in the shooting.

Wehner was on his first day of an internship at the plant. He’d expected to graduate that spring.

Five Aurora police officers also were wounded in the shooting.

Clayton Parks was remembered as a family man, an avid Chicago sports fan and someone whose smile and laugh “were contagious,” according to his obituary. His son was a baby at the time of Clayton’s death.

Wehner’s loved ones remembered him for his love of baseball and games like Magic, League of Legends and World of Warcraft, according to his obituary. “He never met a stranger,” and had a smile “that would light up the room,” loved ones wrote.

Pinkard was also remembered for his love of family and as a father and husband. Loved ones mentioned his leadership skills, and “infectious laugh,” writing in his obituary that “there was no person he met whose life he didn’t touch.”

Beyer worked at Henry Pratt Co. for more than 25 years and was a union shop chairman, according to his obituary. A father and husband, he was remembered as “a fun, love gentle giant of a guy, who was friends with everyone.”

Juarez was a forklift operator at Henry Pratt Co., had a passion for working on cars with his sons, and was married to the love of his life of 38 years, according to his obituary. He was “a hardworking, responsible and loving husband, father and grandfather.”