Betty Mary Park

When someone is identified as a natural leader, certain images come to mind. First thoughts are of a no-nonsense, tough-minded, dedicated and disciplined person. This description accurately fits Betty Mary Park who was indeed a born manager. She will be remembered as being highly organized, practical and realistic. She was a person who always carried a strong sense of duty with her throughout her life. Possessed with traditional “old school” morals, Betty was an individual who clearly communicated to those around her just who she was and what she was all about. Everyone acquainted with Betty knew her as a well-respected woman who was a stable force in her community.

Betty was born on December 16, 1964 at Espanola Hospital in Espanola, Ontario. Her parents were Mike and Lorrain Moroz. Betty was raised in Espanola, Ontario, moved to Hamilton when she got married in 1988. Even as a youngster, Betty learned to be objective and decisive. Her faith in the principles of authority and dependability was something that she carried with her throughout her life.

As a young girl, Betty was able to put her natural abilities to work. She was a bit like the sergeant of the family, helping to make sure that the others did what they should do and that they avoided those things they weren’t supposed to. In other words, she liked to organize and direct. Betty was raised with 6 siblings. She had two older brothers, Bill and Morris, one older sister Sharon, two younger sisters Kathy and Doris and a younger brother Darrin. Betty had an inborn appreciation for the order in the family, allowing for the oldest members to be the most respected and to take on the most responsibility. For Betty, this was a natural order of life, one she gladly embraced.

Betty's matter-of-fact attitude about most things was developed during her childhood. As a young girl, Betty enjoyed being part of teams, and organizations and groups of other kids who shared similar interests. She was a Brownie, Girl Guide and a G. A. Girl. In her spare time she liked to read and write poetry.

In school, Betty was as close to being a model student as one could possibly imagine. She sought to achieve perfect attendance in all of her classes. She would eagerly complete her homework, and often put in extra study time when she felt it was necessary. A logical and focused thinker, Betty was always good at following directions and meeting her schedules, whether they were set by her teachers or were self-imposed. Betty’s personal motto could well have been, “Do it right the first time.” She graduated from Espanola High School in 1983. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was math.

Betty was sociable and approachable. Because she was always so straightforward in how she approached relationships, friends and family knew that what they saw was always what they got. She enjoyed the camaraderie of being with a group of friends. When Betty was a member of a group, her interaction worked to keep the others grounded. She wasn’t afraid to confront her friends and, when necessary, she challenged them to stick to the task at hand. Those close to Betty came to expect her high standards of performance. While growing up, some of her best friends were April Lamothe and Tanya McEwen. Later in life, she became friends with Diane Gallant, Ghislaine Gauvin, Heather Cameron, Anita Irvine, Dawn Miller, Marlene Dicenzo, Kathy Moroz and Sharon MacDonald (Moroz).

An objective and conscientious individual, Betty reveled in the security of her family. One of Betty’s most endearing qualities was her uncanny ability to remember important dates and anniversaries, and her unending enthusiasm for organizing a celebration for her family and friends.

Betty was ever watchful of her child. She worried about him and was deeply concerned for his development as he grew up. She maintained a firm hand in his upbringing. Betty would give her stamp of approval to his requests, as long as she could see how he might benefit. She also had the ability to enforce the rules as needed to ensure that her son was properly raised. Betty was blessed with one child, her son, Michael Richard Park.

Being a hard worker who praised efficiency, Betty was always striving to make improvements where they were necessary. She was able to analyze situations and problems, keeping everything and everyone on track. An excellent project supervisor, Betty was a person who could quickly make decisions based on the information available. She worked cooperatively and expected the same from her colleagues. In both her personal and professional environments, Betty upheld her standards. Her primary occupation was Inventory Control. She was employed for 18 years at Rep Pharm, then worked for Continental Ingredients for almost 5 years. Betty was a team player who certainly lived out the motto of “give me a job, and I will get it done.”

Betty approached her leisure time in the same manner that she approached her life. A person who enjoyed being neat and orderly and one who understood the nature of things, she appreciated the hours she was able to devote to her various hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were her dogs, Molly and Chip. Betty was content to enjoy her favorite pastimes alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Playing by the rules was a natural thing for Betty to do in life and that carried over to her enjoyment of sports. She also was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite event whenever she got the opportunity, tops on her list was watching her son play soccer, she really got in to it.

When it came time to travel or take a vacation, Betty used her scheduling expertise to make sure everyone and everything was ready to go. That also meant that she made certain no single person was overworked in putting the trip together. Betty had a knack for making sure that everyone who was involved had their specific tasks and that those tasks were completed. Favorite vacations included Boston, Cuba, Ottawa and Salem.

Betty was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. One of Betty’s favorite pets was her first dog Pebbles, she was Betty’s little baby and then later, Molly and Chip all Shih Tzu's. They were best friends, for Chip for 13 years and Molly for 1 year. Her family was rounded out by her cat, Barney.

She is survived by her husband Mike, son Michael, brothers Bill, Morris, the late Darrin, sisters Sharon, Kathy, Doris and her mother Lorrain. Services were held at Cresmount Funeral Home.

All who knew her would agree that Betty was a pillar of the community. She lived her life with her feet firmly on the ground. She had a strong work ethic, was pragmatic in her thoughts and acts, and constantly sought the means for self-improvement. She was willing to share her ideas and knowledge for the benefit of others, so that they could accomplish more in their lives. Betty Mary Park did her best to ensure that her family, friends, loved ones, co-workers, and everyone whose life she touched was given the chance to become a better person.

Dear Betty, Bee Bop, Betty Boop, my Pumpkin Pie

It's 5 o'clock in the morning and like always I'm up and having my morning coffee. I'm at a loss of words and can't even begin to describe the thoughts that are going through my head. You will be missed more than words can say, you were everything to me. It's because of you I'm who I am. When our eyes first met 28 years ago at the A.V. in Espanola the strangest feeling overwhelmed my soul and I knew right away that you were going to be the girl I would marry, and through our 28 years together we had celebration, sorrow and even a few bumps in the road but that magical feeling never left, it only got stronger. When we eloped we were both busting with joy and couldn't wait to hear what our families would say when they found out we tied the knot, we had sooooo much fun. Every time we talked about it we would laugh, especially the part when we called my parents in Africa to let them know we had finally set our date, they said "that's great news, when?, we said "in an hour" there was an awkward pause on the phone and we giggle like two school kids. Our whole time together was filled with fun

and events, that when we would reminisce, we would have a good laugh. When Michael was born, a new and exciting chapter began for us. I remember when we went to the hospital, it followed about 3 or 4 "false" labours, we were so sure that this was another false labour that you convinced me that we didn't need to bring the bags, our friend Jodi saw us leaving and stopped us before we left, wishing us well, suggested that "seeing how the bags are packed you might as well bring them along". It was a good thing we brought the bags because a "short" 20 hours later we had a new love in our life, Michael was born. You took to being a mom like a fish to water, you were such a natural, you made it look easy and I didn't think I would ever develop the skills to be a dad. You held my hand and guided me through the process. Although a father and son develop a special relationship, maybe because we are both boys and get to play with the same toys, when the chips were down and Michael was feeling sad about something, he would always seek out his mom, you had a way of making everything all better, from a scrapped knee to a broken heart you were the one he would go to for guidance and help. (me too) Michael is such a great son and it's because he had such a great mom. My mind is racing thinking about all our different events in our short time together, everywhere I look, every item I touch and even certain phrases when spoken remind me of you. You were everything to me. You were my lover, my partner, my bestest friend , my partner in crime, my confidante, my wife, my buddy, my soul mate......my love We will miss you and never forget about you, you are embedded in our souls.

Love you always Mike, Michael, Barney, Pebbles, Casey, Chip, and Molly XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO XXX

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Suddenly at home on February 26, 2012 in her 48th year. Loving wife of Mike and mother of Michael. Beloved daughter of Loraine and her step-father the late Ted. Dear sister of Sharon, Kathy, Doris, Morris, Billy and the late Darrin. A celebration of Betty’s life will take place at CRESMOUNT FUNERAL HOME (322 Fennell Avenue East, Hamilton) on Thursday, March 1st at 3 p.m. in the Chapel. Cremation to follow. Online tributes and condolences may be placed at www.cresmountfennellchapel.com