Larry Dale Park

Larry Dale Park, 83, of Falconer passed away Friday (February 7, 2025) in UPMC Hamot, Erie, PA.

He was born September 2, 1941 to Jean LaRue Park in the Park Family Farmhouse on Rollercoaster Road near Summerville, PA. He spent his early years there and in Brookville PA surrounded by his many Park cousins. He was a lively and inquisitive boy by all accounts.

Larry graduated from Brookville Area High School in 1959 and joined the U.S. Army and attained a rank of Spec 5. He became a Hawk Missile Technician and spent two of his three years serving in Germany. After that he trained to be a tool and die maker, working at Blackstone Corp for many years and then at Cummins Engine for many more. He enjoyed his co-workers very much and earned their respect and friendships with his hard work and “can do” attitude.

He married Margaret Smith in 1966 and they raised their son Gregory and their daughter Megan in Falconer, NY. He was a loving husband and father, always putting his family first. He was loved by his family, and his extended family which included his many Park relatives, his Martin family relatives, and his many Smith family relatives that came with his marriage to Margaret.

Larry was a good neighbor, helping anyone to do any task whether creating a solar heating system on a garage roof for a pool, measuring and laying out a new garage, trapping a skunk or groundhog in a backyard, building a bicycle with training wheels for a neighbor kid, or snow blowing neighborhood driveways. He was proud to be a volunteer fireman from his teenage years in Summerville to his time with the Falconer Fire Department. When his children were young, he helped coordinate and coach the Falconer community T-ball, baseball, and softball programs. In his retirement years he could often be found on his front porch swing, with dog treats close at hand.

He is survived by his wife Margaret (Smith) Park, his children Gregory Park of Pittsburgh, PA, his daughter Megan Park of Falconer, NY., his Park cousins especially Arlene Park of St. Marys PA, Mike (Robin) Park and their children Derek, Adam and Karly of St Marys PA, Eric (Jody) Park of St. Marys PA , Sherry Kahle and children Cassidy, Reina, Brenden, and Kolton of Brockport, PA, his Martin family cousins especially Kelly Reitz and Kim Brady and their families of Punxsutawney, Pa , and Nelson Martin and family of Oklahoma, and his many Smith cousins.

He was predeceased by his mother Jean Park Martin, his stepfather Norman Martin, his biological father Thomas Reitz, his grandparents who helped raise him in his early years Ed and Ida (Swab) Park, his siblings Robert, Gary, William, and Bruce Martin, and Judy Minnick, a cousin and good friend Bill Park, and a sister-in-law Carol (Smith) Park.

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