Don grew up on a farm in Iowa and graduated from East High. From the beginning, he carried a steady work ethic and a gift for noticing the small, memorable details of everyday life—stories he loved to share, from taking the bus as a young boy to fish in the creek to the way turkeys amazed him when rain set them into their own kind of commotion. At 21, he met “mom,” and when he married Sharon Kay Park, the story began. He worked at the Mobil Gas Station in Arcadia owned by his father (now In and Out), and soon after, he and Sharon welcomed two children.
As a young man, Don spent four years in the Air Force Reserves. He went on to serve as a postal carrier, later moving into management, and retired from the Postal Service at 55. Yet retirement did not suit someone so accustomed to showing up, pitching in, and staying busy; it simply felt too early to stop. Don then went to work for the University of LA Verne, where he had a great time before retiring again. His life reflected a simple, enduring principle: work was not just obligation, but a way of contributing and staying connected to the world around him.
Don married Sharon Park in 1959, and they remained married until her death in 2014. He loved his family deeply. He was the proud father of two children, Michael Gail Park and Vicky Lynn Park-Myers, daughter in-law Tracy Park, and son in-law William Myers. And as much as he cherished being a dad, life for Don “really began” when he became a grandfather. He had three grandchildren: Jeffery Gail Park, Christina Denise Park, and Jessica Kay Myers. His joy only grew as he became a great-grandfather—Christina’s three children, Danille Denise Reyna, Adrian Bill Billalva, and Marceline Billalva; and Jeff’s two children, Jacus Gail Park and Jeulia Ann Park. Mr. Park grandson Steven StuczynSki and his wife Jena StuczynSki and great-great grand daughter Ruby Stuczynski. More than anything else, Don adored his grandchildren and great grand children, and that devotion remained at the center of his days and his legacy.
Don’s interests were as lively as they were faithful. He loved bowling and his bowling buddies, and he loved playing cards with friends—simple gatherings that became, in his hands, something lasting and meaningful. And then there was antiquing: an over-the-top, delightfully “crazy” passion that he pursued with real zeal. He spent countless hours hunting for the perfect toys and treasures, and he enjoyed being involved in setting up his things at street fairs, antique stores, and swap meets.
Don also took special joy in the holidays, especially the Christmas season. Every year, beginning November 1st, he would start decorating the outside of the house with lights and Disney figurines—an annual tradition that reflected his enthusiasm for celebration and his enduring love of life in all circumstances. Don will be remembered for that spirit, and for the steady warmth of a man who found his greatest happiness in family and in the everyday moments that brought people together.
The family extends heartfelt gratitude to all the staff at Huntington Memorial who made Don feel loved and cared for—he said it was like staying at the Hilton. Thank you as well to all of the staff at Arcadia Care Center who made him laugh, treated him well, and laughed at his quirks; and to the Reverend/Pastor at Arcadia Care who cut his meat and, as Don put it afterward, shared Jesus with him—because Don called right after and said that Jesus spoke to him. The family is also deeply thankful to all of the staff in the Cardiac Care Unit at Arcadia Methodist/USC who helped to make him comfortable and spoke encouragingly, but honestly, to his family.
