Obituary of Shirley Mildred Park

Shirley Mildred Park

May 25, 1948 - April 17, 2022

Corner Brook, NL

It is with deep sadness that the family of the late Shirley Mildred Park announce her passing at the Corner Brook Long Term Centre on April 17, 2022 at the age of 73 years.  Leaving to mourn with broken hearts her daughter Cathy (Tom Jr.) Payne and her son Dean (Kathy) Park, grandson Adam (Marissa Browner) Payne, granddaughters Kayla (Brandon Hutchings) Park and Danica (Ryan Giles) Park, great-granddaughters Briar-Rose and Kalliana Park-Hutchings, brothers David (Heidi) Flight, Herb (Shirley) Flight, brother in law Shawn Park, one nephew Jason and Family, three nieces, Kimberley, Jessica, Alicia and their families, as well as a very special group of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins both near and far. She is predeceased by her husband of 46 years Derrick Park, father and mother Willis and Lucy Flight, her father and mother in-law Alexander and Ivy Park.

Family and friends may visit Fillatre’s Funeral Home, 218 Curling Street on Thursday, April 21^st from 2-4 and 7-9:00 p.m. The funeral service will be held on Friday, April 22^nd at 2:00 p.m. from Saint Mary's Anglican Church with Reverend Cynthia Haines Turner officiating. The interment will follow at Mt. Patricia cemetery. The family kindly requests that those attending the visitation and funeral service to wear a face covering.  As expressions of sympathy, flowers graciously accepted or donations may be made to the charity of one’s choice.

We, the family of the late Shirley Mildred Park, would like to thank the staff at the Corner Brook Long Term Care Centre, 2 north Gooseberry Lane. Especially to all those who went above and beyond your job description.  To you who bought her Pepsi when she ran out and we could not get some more in fast enough, to you who put cream on her, who took the extra time to dry and curl her hair, to polish her nails, fix her TV when it went on the blitz, to those of you that danced for her and sang to her and to you who held her hand and head when we could not be there.  You know who you are.  

Special thank you to those who took the time to get to know her and learn her likes and dislikes, what time she liked to go to bed and how she like her pillows.  And you Reg for all those stand up hugs that made mom laugh.  Please stay safe, take pride in what you do and don't ever change. Families like us need you and appreciate you.

The funeral service will be livestreamed through Fillatre Funeral Homes Ltd. Facebook page.

Tribute to Shirley, written by her daughter Cathy

Shirley was born on May 25, 1948, and grew up in Small Point, Newfoundland, A little community on the East Coast where if you blinked while you were driving through you would miss it.  Her parents were Willis and Lucy Flight. She was the middle child with an older brother David and younger brother Herb.

While growing up myself and Dean heard many stories about her childhood.  There was the time when her mother left the house to attend a church function, when her brothers David and Herb with her cousins Jim and Fred would get her to bake them a cake.  She told me she was only a girl and tried to follow what she saw her mother doing and she knew when the cake was cooked that she had missed an ingredient or two.  However the boys didn't seem to care, the cake got eaten and mess cleaned up before her mom returned home. She also told us about her father telling them jokes.  I'm sure Dean, you can remember the one about the little boy selling apples at the train station. She told us about her grandfather reading them stories, he would pick up their school book and they were quick to say, “ no pop not that one”,  but he insisted and held it upside down and it wasn't long before they realized he was not reading from the school book but instead reciting a story which they enjoyed.  We always had a good laugh when she told her stories about growing up in Small Point.  Dad often said she had a story book childhood.

She remained quite loyal to the east coast.  We visited every summer that she was able to get there, she called her brothers and they called her on a regular basis right to the end.  

After graduation in 1965 she got a teaching certificate, like her older brother David and within a year she had followed or chased him to the West Coast.  He taught school in Curling, while she was teaching school in Mt. Moriah.  This is where she met the love of her life and soul mate, our dad, Derrick Park.  They were simply made for each other and everyone who knew them could see that.  They were engaged June 1967 and married March 1, 1968.  His family quickly welcomed her and her mother-in-law took her lovingly under her wing.  Her family welcomed him and loved him.  In no time at all along came their children Cathy and Dean.  A very happy time for both of them.   Her teaching career ended and she became a devoted, loving wife and mother, a very happy homemaker who was nurturing, and content with the life she had begun for herself.

Around the time myself and Dean started school she began a new career at the Canada Employment Centre where she enjoyed working in administration.  But she enjoyed even more, accepting an early retirement package in 1998, this was perfect timing for her.  She could devote more time to dad and together they could enjoy the three grandchildren they now had, Kayla, Adam and Danica.

She traveled in a small circle of family and friends.  Sunday dinner at Dad and Mom's was a tradition that they created.  Everyone was welcome, and usually always included mom park, Shawn, Alicia, myself, Tommy, Adam, Dean, Kathy, Kayla, and Danica.  Every other Sunday this quest list could include visiting relatives or any other family member.   Everyone knew they were more than welcome to come, there was no invitation required. Dinner was always on and you were always welcome.  

When in March 2014 we lost dad, mom lost a piece of herself and life was never quite as sweet without him.  She suffered a lot of sickness in the last few years without him but she tried her best to persevere.  She enjoyed every trip outside the long term care, which included luncheons with the ladies, shopping trips, and family gatherings always at Dean and Kathy's house.  She so enjoyed each and every phone call and visit from family and friends who found the time and strength to go see her.  

She was also very blessed to have enjoyed many visits with her Great-Granddaughter Briar-Rose, who gave her so much joy. Mom, in April 2017 got to welcome to her family, great niece Charlotte. Although she was unable to meet her in person, uncle Herb made sure that Jessica provided plenty of pictures and messages. 

She also got to welcome her Great Nephew Dawson into the family May 2018, and just this past summer she welcomed a second Great-Granddaughter, Kalliana.  

Mom was very content with the little things in life, those little things meant everything to her.

She was our angel on earth and will remain forever in our hearts.