Grayson County, TXGenWeb

Thomas O. Park
11 June 1914 - 11 July 1999

Vera F. Park
12 May 1915 - 10 December 1996

Jerry Orville Park was born July 5, 1940 in Sherman, Texas, son of Thomas Orville Park and Vera Idella Franklin Park. He graduated from Sherman High School in 1958 and joined the US Army in 1959. During his Army service he attended Signal School at Ft. Monmough, New Jersey and received training as a Meteorlogy Observer and was then transferred to Ft. Lewis, Washington for further duty with a new unit stationed in the remote Gerstle River Test Site in Alaska, and later at the US Army Arctic Test Board range in Alaska, where he served as shift supervisor. His Commanding Officer commended Jerry for his "wry sense of humor which often dispelled gloom during the dark moments when the Team was undergoing the throes of organization."
Upon honorable discharge from the Army, Jerry returned to Sherman and married Joyce Ann Brede on May 16, 1964. Jerry and Joyce enjoyed 57 years of marriage together and were blessed with 3 wonderful daughters: Lisa in 1965, Debra in 1970, and Angela in 1979.
Jerry served 32 years as a City Carrier for the United States Postal Service and spent 30 of those years walking various mail routes in the city of Sherman. He was honored by the Postal Service as a member of the One Million Mile Club for driving 1 million miles without a preventable accident.
One of his many talents was the ability to build and repair electronic and mechanical devices. One such example was the restoration of an M37B1 Army truck to like new condition. This truck had special meaning for Jerry since it was the same type of truck he drove throughout the extreme cold of 3 Alaskan winters. Jerry was often seen driving the M37 in various parades through his membership in the Red River Valley County Military Vehicle Preservation Association.
Service was an essential part of Jerry's life. For many years he served as a member of the Howe Planning and Zoning Commission. Most people in Howe will remember him from his 40 years of volunteer service with the Howe Fire Department including service as Fire Chief from 1978 until 1989. During his 40 years many fires were fought, lives saved, severe weather was monitored,.and communication, equipment and training was improved. Jerry was responsible for equipping the department vehicles with their first radios and for overseeing many communication upgrades. He was also instrumental in the volunteer firefighters attending the Fire Training Academy at Texas A&M in College Station. Despite his humble protests, the Jerry Park Scholarship is given annually by the Howe Fire Department to graduating Seniors to honor Jerry's service.
After his retirement from the Howe Fire Department, Jerry continued using the training he first received in the US Army by watching and reporting the weather as a Skywarn Storm Spotter for the Grayson County Amateur Radio Emergency (ARES). He was also a frequent participant as a Ham Radio/ARES observer for the monthly City of Sherman Outdoor Warning Siren Test Net.
Over the years, the family referred to Jerry as their Superhero. Many who knew him at the Texoma Regional Blood Center in Sherman will agree. During his lifetime, Jerry gave 48 separate donations, which totals to 6 gallons of blood in his lifetime. Jerry often encouraged other to give the "gift of life" by becoming blood donors.
Surviving family members are his wife; brother, Gary Park and wife, Donna; daughters, Lisa Park; Debra Graves and husband, Wade; and Angela Cox and husband, Matthew; grandchildren: Jessica King Riley; Ciarra King Smith; Sadie Pierson Hackney; Maggie Pierson; Harper Park; Owen Cox; and great-granddaugh ter, Vera Hackney.
In addition to his parents, Jerry was al so preceded in death by his great-grandson, Harrison Keith Hackney.
Jerry passed away on June 1, 2021. Funeral services were held Friday afternoon, June 11, 2021 at the Scoggins Funeral Home Chapel in Van Alstyne.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Howe Volunteer Fire Department. Those who are able are also encouraged to donate blood at the Texoma Regional Blood Center. - - - Scoggins Funeral Home