Lois Jean Park

She was born Lois Jean Nase on September 22, 1929 in Armour, South Dakota to Walter and Martha Nase. Her father was a farmer and eventually moved the family to Cylinder, Iowa where Lois was raised on a farm with her three brothers and one sister. She attended Cylinder High School where she was a cheerleader. Like many in her community, she spent her time outside of school helping with the crops—even riding to work in the back of a livestock truck with all the other local teenagers to detassel corn at a local farm. The family attended St. Paul Lutheran Church in Emmetsburg, Iowa where Lois was confirmed in 1944.

Lois dreamed of seeing the rest of the country after studying geography in school. After high school and a year and a half at the local junior college, Lois moved with a friend to Chicago in 1950. Her mother had concerns about her country girl daughter moving to such a big and fast city, but she never needed to worry because Lois never missed going to church.

While in Chicago, Lois worked for Pabst Blue Ribbon beer company as a switchboard operator. Then in 1952, Lois went on vacation to Los Angeles and enjoyed it so much that she decided to stay. In Los Angeles, she made many friends and had many roommates—all staying in a one-bedroom apartment. She got a job working for Republic Steel and was there for over ten years. At one point, Lois joined a ski club and it was there that she met her future husband Ted Park. They married in 1961and had two children—Nancy and Steven. Ted was an electrical engineer and was involved in many projects that required the family to move a few times. They lived in many different places in Southern California and also a year in Bethesda, Maryland before finally settling back in California in Hacienda Heights. During this time, Lois was active at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church where she was involved with Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and LWML, serving for a short time as Treasurer and also President.

In 1988, Lois moved south to the community of Oceanside, CA where she lived for 23 years. She loved her home in Oceanside and it was here that she built up a new community of friends. She worked part time at the Oceanside Library for 8 years and she attended Faith Lutheran Church in Vista where she sang in the choir.

In her later years, Lois lived in two beautiful assisted living communities and eventually moved in with her daughter Nancy in Orange County, California. Lois began attending Christ Lutheran Church in Brea, CA in 2012 until she and Nancy moved to Arizona in September 2023.

Throughout her life when she was able, Lois enjoyed traveling, reading, movies, gardening, dining out and puzzles. But most important to Lois through all the various moves was that she made a point of keeping in touch with friends and family. Lois loved social gatherings and being around others. She made friends easily and was loved by all. In return, she loved her friends and family dearly and was always thinking of them with a card or letter or phone call. It brought her great joy to prepare little gifts or treat bags for her friends and companions at the Assisted Living. She will always be remembered as loving, thoughtful, caring, witty and faithful to the Lord.

Lois was preceded in death by her father and mother Walter and Martha Nase, her brother and sister-in-law Walter “Bud” and Dorothy Nase, her sister and brother-in-law Illia and Donald Palmer, her sister-in-law Phyllis Nase and her former husband Theodore Park. She is survived by her two children Nancy Park and Steven Park, her brother Lowell Nase, brother and sister-in-law Robert and Kathy Nase and many nieces and nephews and cousins.

All praise and glory to God for the life of Lois Park and for her faith and trust in Christ Jesus as her savior. May our Lord comfort and strengthen all who loved Lois with the certainty of life eternal through our Lord Jesus Christ.

A funeral for Lois will be held Saturday, August 24, 2024 at 11:00 AM at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 805 Harrison Street, Emmetsburg, IA. A burial will occur Saturday, August 24, 2024 at Evergreen Cemetery, Emmetsburg, IA. A California service is being planned for a later date.