Howard R. Park Jr.

HOWARD RODOLPH PARK, JR (HOWARD, SON, BROTHER, BUBBER, BUBBA, BUB, UNCA-BUB, CUZ, MR. PARK, DADDY, FATHER, FRIEND) BORN 4/9/1930 IN NEW POINT, SUMTER COUNTY, GA IN A SMALL COMMUNITY HALF-WAY BETWEEN AMERICUS AND PLAINS, GA.

BORN TO CHRISTINE HARVEY PARK AND HOWARD RODOLPH PARK, SR. HE HAD 2 SISTERS, NANETTE PARK (1928-2014) AND SALLY PATTON PARK EUBANKS (1950-). MARRIED CLARA JEAN GROCE IN 1954 FROM OGLETHORPE, GA. THEIR WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE LOCAL PAPERS WAS ENTITLED “IDEAL MAN MARRIES GROCE WOMAN”! MAMA HAD 2 SISTERS AND DADDY HAD 2 DAUGHTERS (DAWN & JERI). HE GAINED A SON (MIKE), A GRANDSON (MASON) AND A GREAT GRANDSON (ABE). WHEW! A BREAK FROM ALL THE WOMEN!!! HE DID FLOURISH TWO MORE IMPORTANT ADDITIONS, GRAND DAUGHTER (CHRISTINA), GRAND DAUGHTER IN-LAW (MEGHAN) AND LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST HIS GREAT GRAND DAUGHTER (EVIE).

HE GREW UP IN IDEAL, GA. DADDY LEFT FOR COLLEGE IN THE SPRING OF 1947 FOR NORTH GEORGIA COLLEGE, AN ALL-MEN’S MILITARY COLLEGE IN DAHLONEGA, GA. HE NEVER RETURNED HOME. HIS MAJOR WAS FINANCE. HE JOINED THE ARMY IN 1950, WAS FRONTLINE INFANTRY IN THE KOREAN WAR. HE NEVER DISCUSSED THE WAR. I FOUND SOME OLD PHOTOGRAPHS OF HIS TIME IN THE WAR. ONE IN PARTICULAR WAS OF VERY YOUNG KOREAN CHILDREN BARELY CLOTHED WALKING ALONE LOOKING FORLORN. ON THE BACK OF THE PHOTOGRAPH, HE HAD WRITTEN “THEY DIDN’T CAUSE THIS”.

IN 1952 DADDY JOINED CB&T WHERE HE WORKED HIS ENTIRE LIFE UNTIL HE RETIRED IN 1992. HE BEGAN AS A TELLER AND ENDED UP PRESIDENT OF A BRANCH IN LAGRANGE,GA WHERE HE AND MY MOTHER LIVED FOR 35 YEARS. IN ALL THE YEARS OF HIS BANKING CAREER WE NEVER KNEW WHAT DADDY DID. ALL WE KNEW WAS “HE WENT TO THE BANK”. AT HIS RETIREMENT CELEBRATION, THEY “ROASTED” HIM AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN ALL OUR LIVES WE EVER KNEW HIS TRACK, HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, AND THE DEPTH OF SERVICE AND SOLID FRIENDSHIPS HE DEVELOPED. WE, HIS FAMILY, SAT THERE IN AWE LISTENING TO WHAT HE DID WHEN HE “WENT TO THE BANK”. DADDY OBTAINED A MASTERS IN FINANCE AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY THROUGH THE BANK. HE WAS ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY LEADING THE CHARGE FOR FUND RAISING FOR UNITED WAY, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD FOR THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND WAS INVOLVED WITH LAGRANGE COLLEGE THE ENTIRE TIME HE WORKED AND LIVED IN LAGRANGE. THERE IS A SCHOLARSHIP IN HIS NAME AT LAGRANGE COLLEGE.

HE ENJOYED GOLF BETTER THAN ANY OTHER SPORT OTHER THAN BRAVES BASEBALL AND COLLEGE FOOTBALL (GA BULLDOGS…JUST TO CLARIFY). ALL THEIR TRIPS, TYPICALLY THROUGH THE BANK, WERE SURROUNDED OR PLANNED AROUND THE BEST GOLF COURSES IN THIS COUNTRY PLUS ONE TRIP TO SCOTLAND.

DADDY WAS A QUIET, HUMBLE, KIND, GENEROUS AND GENTLE SPIRIT. HE LOVED MAMA AND HIS FAMILY DEEPLY. HE WAS DISCIPLINED, DEDICATED, TRUTHFUL AND GOD-FEARING.

HE MADE 2 GOOD MOVES IN HIS LIFE…LAGRANGE AND FINALLY HOME (COLUMBUS), AGAIN.

HOME…DADDY IS FINALLY HOME WITH MAMA, HIS TEAM OF ANGELS, HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND JESUS…WE ARE AT PEACE WITH HIS RESURRECTION.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS PLEASE MAKE A DONATION TO GRACE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT 7211 BRITTON DRIVE, COLUMBUS, GEORGIA 31904.