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Rites set for rural electricity advocate EARL WESLEY PARK
SKIATOOK -- Earl Wesley Park, an advocate of rural electrification since the days when much of the state did not have electric service, died Tuesday. He was 93. Services are set for 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Christian Church under the direction of Sien-Shelton Funeral Home.
Park was born Sept. 18, 1911, to Estella and Arthur Burgess Park and graduated from Sperry High School.
Having begun a farming and ranching career that would last more than 75 years, Park married Verlie Mae Moore in 1932. He was elected to the Collinsville Farmers Cooperative board of directors, serving from 1968 to 1976.
Park, who did not have electricity in his home until 1947, was the Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative District 6 board representative from 1972 until his death.
He was president of the Skiatook Museum board for four years and was the Skiatook Pioneer Day Man of the Year in 1991.
He is survived by two sons, Earl Park Jr. and Ben Park, both of Skiatook; three daughters, Stella Schwartz of Tulsa, Jane Reynolds of Tyler, Texas, and Sarah Vance of Salina; a brother, Bob Park of Sperry; a sister, Verona Patrick of Skiatook; 15 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Services for Earl Wesley Park, 93, of Skiatook, who died Tuesday, March 29, 2005, following a short illness, were Saturday, April 2, at the First Christian Church in Skiatook with Rev. Sue Miers and Rev. Bill Bowman officiating. Interment in the Captain Cemetery and services were under the direction of Sien-Shelton Funeral Home.
He was born in Skiatook on Sept. 18, 1911, to Arthur Burgess (A.B.) Park and Estella Yeargain Park, the granddaughter of Augustus Captain, a prominent Osage Tribal member and early settler in present day Osage County.
Park was the second of six children. Soon after his birth, the Park family moved to a farm on land allotted to Estella Park by the Osage Tribe. The farm was located south of Skiatook on the south side of Hominy Creek. He attended the Rock Creek country school and graduated from Sperry High School.
In 1932, he married a former Miss Skiatook, Verlie Mae Moore, the daughter of Samuel and Martha Paine Moore, and the step-daughter of George Newman. Park and Verlie settled on a farm on the north side of Hominy Creek, just across from A.B. Park’s home and farm.
They had six children. All their children were born in the family home and attended Javine country school and Skiatook High School. Park continued to live in the family home until his death.
He was a prominent farmer and rancher in this area for more than 75 years. He was active in cattle and haying operations and pork production.
His knowledge of agriculture and the needs of farmers were acknowledged when he was elected a member for the Board of Directors of the Farmers Cooperative of Collinsville. He served as director from 1968 to 1976.
First-hand experience with farm and family life without electricity (he did not receive electric power until 1947) gave Park an appreciation of the value of the Rural Electrification Act of Oklahomans. He was District 6 representative on the Board of Trustees of the Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperate from 1972 until his death. In addition, he was the VVEC’s representative to statewide REA meetings.
At national, state and local REA meetings, he was a strong advocate for the "feller at the end of the line."He was a keen observer of the world around him and was blessed with an excellent memory. This combination made him an outstanding source of historical information. He often entertained family members and groups, large and small, with tales of the past. An open friendly manner introduced with "howdy feller, where you from," put him on the trail of new bits of history.
Park’s charter membership in the Skiatook Museum was a natural extension of his interest in history. He served as president for four years and was the 1991 Skiatook Pioneer Day Man-Of-The-Year. He was active in museum affairs until his death.
Poems and songs learned in school were another enjoyable product of his great memory. Something as simple as a field damp with a morning’s dew could prompt a song or recitation of a poem delivered with unfailing accuracy.Survivors include a brother, Bob Park of Sperry; a sister, Verona Patrick of Skiatook; sons: Earl Park Jr. of Skiatook and Ben Park and wife Pattie of Skiatook; daughters: Stella Schwartz and husband Robert of Tulsa, Jane Reynolds of Tyler, Texas, Sarah Vance and husband Ronnie of Salina, Okla., 15 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, two great-great-grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.
Music selections for the service were "Precious Memories" performed by the First Christian Church Choir and "Amazing Grace."Casket escorts for the service were Marsha Barton, Gregg Park, Kelly Park, Karola Schwartz, Ricky Reynolds and Ronny Reynolds. Honorary casket escorts were VVEC Board Members and Bill Barnett. Park was preceded in death by his wife, Verlie; one daughter, Georgann Barton; one grandson, Walter Schwartz; a sister, Lorene Rumsey, brothers Y.T. Park and Hoot Park and by Juanita Park.
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