Obituary: Park, Merna

PARK, Merna
ST. MARIES, IDAHO

Merna Lou May Dyce Park died March 13, 2012 of pneumonia.

She was born in Oakland, CA in 1927, and lived in South Dakota and Colorado, where she met her husband, Jerry Park at the University of Colorado.

They raised their family in Wisconsin, Illinois and Colorado before moving
to St. Maries in 1961 to join her cousin, Dr. W. Dyce Thurston and his wife, Bobby.

Merna was predeceased by her beloved husband, Jerry, Dyce and Bobby Thurston, and her sister, Georgette Habeger.

She is survived by Sherri Wood and her daughter, Crystal of Rochester, NY; Debra Park (Vincent Schmidt) of Spokane, WA; Ron (Patricia Sweeney) of Santa Cruz, CA, and their son, Jacob; Crys (Mark) Harpole of St. Maries and their daughter, Lindsey and son, Ian; Jill Karber (Vince Martin) of Arlington, Washington and her son, Avery; Phu and Ahn Cong of St. Maries; extended Thurston family; and countless Park and Cong grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as neighborhood grandchildren.

Merna served on the Board of the St. Maries Public Library, on the St. Maries Recycling Committee, as an Elder and Deacon of the Community Presbyterian Church, was involved in many other aspects of church and community life and touched more lives than can be mentioned.

A celebration of her life will be held on Monday, March 19 at 11:00 A.M. at the Community Presbyterian Church, 1100 College Avenue in St. Maries.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Merna’s honor may be designated to the St. Maries Public Library, the St. Maries Foundation for Education, or Benewah County Hospice.