Funeral services for Walter E. Park of Middletown will be 10 a.m. on Dec. 4 at the Myers Funeral Home in Middletown with Rev. Jim Guffie officiating. Burial will be in Fairmount Cemetery in Middletown. Pallbearers include Joe Flynn, Taylor Park, Warren Park, Eddie Peak, Brad Shramek and Bill Unsell. Honorary pallbearers will be John Galloway, Gary Hemmann, Terry Pritchett, Jeffery Shaw and Bob Shaw.
Visitation will be from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. on Dec. 3 at the funeral home.
Mr. Park died surrounded by family and friends on November 25 at his rural Middletown home. He was 96 years old. He had spent his entire life living on the family farm and was able to die in the same house he was born in.
Walter Earl Park was born October 7, 1928, the son of Earl Gentry and Vera Estelle Whiteside Park.
He attended Rudd Country School prior to graduating from Middletown High School in 1947. He continued his education at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College in 1949 and graduated in 1956 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in education. He received his Master’s degree in education at the University of Missouri in 1959.
Mr. Park taught six years at Pine Knot District #1, Country School in Montgomery County while attending college. Following the reorganization of Montgomery County Schools in 1954, he taught eighth grade in Middletown for three years. He then became elementary supervisor in Wellsville-Middletown R-1 for twelve years and high school principal for two years. The last 17 years of his teaching career were spent in the Van-Far School District where he taught eighth and ninth grade language arts.
Mr. Park retired from public education in 1987. Upon retirement he substituted in Van-Far and Bowling Green school districts.
On June 8, 1968 at the Wellsville Methodist Church, Mr. Park married Addie Mae Peak. They spent nearly 49 years happily married. The two of them enjoyed traveling and visiting historic sites, along with farrowing hogs and working together around the farm.
Mr. Park enjoyed working on the family farm with his brother Claude. Together, they built several buildings and made many improvements. Grain farming, raising cattle and hogs were his daily routine following retirement. He also enjoyed gardening and quail and pheasant hunting.
Surviving is one sister, Selma Marie Flynn of Wellsville; and two nieces raised in the family home as his sisters, Ruby Estelle Kane of Warrenton and Frances Ruth Chandler of High Hill.
Although Walter and Addie had no children of their own, they generously shared their love with their family, including many nieces and nephews who survive.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Vera Park; his wife, Addie Peak Park; brothers, Donald Calvin, Harold Lester, Vernon Lee and Claude Sterling Park; and sisters, Helen Ruth Pomeroy, Eileen Elizabeth Howdeshell, Carole Faith Fry, Frieda Elaine Hill and Eleanor Faye Beck.
Memorials may be made to the Middletown Methodist Church, Middletown Cemetery Association or the Bowling Green Methodist Church.
Online condolences may be left at www.myersfuneralhome.biz.
