David Samuel Park

David Samuel Park was born December 2, 1922 in Boularderie, Canada to George and Florence Park.

His parents moved to Barre, Vermont where he attended Spaulding High School.  In 1940, at age of 17 he was called to serve his country, enlisting in the United States Navy. Upon receiving an honorable discharge in 1946, he continued to serve his country in the Naval Reserves until 1950. In 1946, he made his home in the Lake Charles area after meeting his future wife, a Southern girl named Marion.  He learned to say “you all”, to eat Gumbo and to put gravy on his rice instead of sugar and milk, but he never lost his love for Canada and New England.

He was an optician, first working for Dr. Carlyle & Bordelon from 1947 to 1967, then working for Bausch and Lomb Optical until his retirement in 1997.

David was a member of University Baptist Church, where he and his wife were active members of the JOY Club, the senior group, before he became a super senior. He was humorous by nature, loved corny jokes, and even in his 90’s he enjoyed bringing a smile to those around him. Ecclesiastes 3:2 was a Bible verse he cherished, “There is a time to be born, and a time to die”, and for many years he said he was not ready to pass on. He enjoyed spending time with his family, reading, gardening, working on his model railroads, a lifetime of DIY projects and spoiling his cats.

As his father was born in Ireland and then immigrated to the United States.  David and his father were members of the Order of the Scottish Clans, Clan Gordon. He was proud of his heritage, and spent many hours researching his family tree, even connecting with distant relatives whom still reside in Scotland and Ireland. His mother was born in Canada of Scottish immigrants.

He was welcomed into Heaven on Saturday, December 25, 2021 by his wife of sixty-two years, Marion Park, and his parents, George and Florence Park.

Those left to cherish his memory; a daughter, Kathryn Stone; granddaughter, Molly Metreyeon;  a sister in law Judy LaGrange; two nephews, Gary LaGrange and wife Cathy and Robert Bruns and wife Shirley and son Andrew; two nieces, Mary Creighton and husband David and Kathleen McBride and husband Hugh.

The family will welcome friends on Wednesday, December 29, 2021 at University Baptist Church from 3:30 until 7 pm. A funeral led by Pastor John Astling will at 10:00 am on Thursday, December 30 with burial to follow at Graceland Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family invites you to make a donation in his honor to Hobo Hotel of Lake Charles, a no-kill shelter for cats and kittens.  

The family would like to express a heart felt thank you to Virginia Baker for the years of caring in-home she provided over the past few years and also to Brittany, Cynthia, Rilee, Chaplain Spurlock and Mrs. Baker with Heart of  Hospice for their tender care during his last days.