My name is Meg Price and I had the honor and privilege of being married to Craig Wells “Old” Park for 37 years. Craig was born in Des Moines, Iowa on February 13, 1951 to Robert and Jeanne Park and died in a tragic car accident on Saturday, November 10, 2018 in Reno, Nevada.
To know Craig was to know unconditional love, he had a kind word, a quick smile, and welcoming way about him that made everyone just feel good. So many people have said to me that they never heard anyone have a negative thing to say about him; he was loved and adored by his family, his friends, his customers, and virtually anyone who met him. Craig was humble, kind, and generous; he was the real deal and a man of true character. I am the luckiest woman and so proud to call him my husband.
It would take a book to encompass his life…his family settled in Orange County, CA when Craig was 10. He attended Santa Ana High School where he played baseball, football and basketball. He attended Santa Ana Junior College and Arizona State on a Baseball scholarship, was scouted by the Montreal Expos, and graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in Recreation – he loved to say that his diploma was signed by then Governor Ronald Reagan.
Craig moved to Nevada in 1977 where we met. He worked at the Sparks Police Department where he proudly started the Officer Friendly and Stranger Danger school programs. He was one of the original bartenders at the Board of Trade and the first Director of Recreation for the Caughlin Club. He opened the Truckee River Bar and Grill 2 on Lakeside in 1989, retiring in 2009. He loved sports especially the Dodgers. He was passionate about music and was an original Deadhead. He loved the outdoors, camping and river trips on the rapids in Utah. And of course, he had a love/hate relationship with golf (who doesn’t?).
In 1988 Craig was diagnosed with Marfan’s Syndrome when his aorta dissected while skiing on Mt. Rose. Most people die instantly from a dissection, but not Craig. He came back and survived more than most people realize: he had two more open heart surgeries to repair his aorta, he had colon cancer requiring both chemo and radiation and he worked every day through that year, and he had both hips replaced. Marfan’s Syndrome is a connective tissue disorder, and it affects virtually the entire body. There were other incidentals, but that gives you enough to know him; each time his response was, “What else you got?” He was resilient.
I need to mention the outstanding medical care and love and support he received over the last 30 years from Doctors Georgianna Duxbury, John Williamson, Tomas Hinojosa, David Liang, Craig Miller and Bobby Kahlon.
Craig was predeceased by his father, Robert W. Park, and is survived by his mother, Jeanne Park. It is often said that to know a man is to see how he treats his mother. His mother turned 90 years old on November 14th, and Craig’s death has been particularly tragic for her. We moved Jeanne who has Parkinson’s disease to Reno after her husband passed two years ago. Craig drove to see her every day – about 20 miles across town. He took her to doctor appointments, nail and hair appointments, out to lunch, whatever she needed. They were so close, and his passing breaks her heart.
In addition to his mother, Craig is survived by his wife Margaret Mary (Meg) Price, his brother Kim (Lura) Park, sister Beth (David) Schmidt, niece Natalie (Matt) Schultz, great nephews Brayden and Bryce, niece Renee Park (James Underwood), Alyssa, Griffen and Jack Graehl, and a whole slew of my side of our family (the Price’s) who loved him.
Beyond his family, there are his friends, many of whom he has known since childhood - I woke up the other morning thinking that Craig didn’t really have any friends – wait for it – he had hundreds of Best Friends Forever (BFFS). Once he brought you into his life, you were there for life! Know that he loved you, know that he is around you – watch for him, listen for him.
If you are so inclined, please send donations in his memory to the Kyle Mann Fund, Stanford University Center for Marfan Disorder, 300 Pasteur H2157, Palo Alto, CA 94305. The fund assists patients with medications and treatment if they cannot afford it.
If you loved him, in his memory, don’t drive impaired. Be safe out there!
A celebration of life will be planned in the spring 2019, date and location to be announced later.
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