PARK, HUGH - Crawford County, Arkansas | HUGH PARK - Arkansas Gravestone Photos

Hugh PARK

Gracelawn Cemetery
Crawford County,
Arkansas

Hugh
December 21, 1906 - September 1974

Services for Hugh Park, 67 year old publisher and editor of the Van Buren Press Argus for the last 47 years, were conducted Wednesday afternoon at the Ocker Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Arvest Lawson, pastor of the First United Methodist Church, and the Rev. J. T. Byrd, a former pastor of that church, officiating. Burial was in Gracelawn with Ocker Funeral Home in charge.

Mr. Park was dead on arrival at a local hospital early Monday.

He became one of the most widely-known personalities in Crawford County and the entire state after his purchase of the Press Argus here in 1927.

Under his direction the newspaper won various awards and he became known for his opinions and writings in his column "The Country Editor."

Mr. Park had not been active in the operation of the Press Argus since his retirement two years ago, but was editor emeritus and continued to contribute his writings.

He was a member of the Mountainview Methodist Church in the Mountainburg area, the Arkansas History Commission and was publisher of the Arkansas Historical Quarterly from its inception.

He was a past-president of the Van Buren Rotary Club and served as justice of the peace in Van Buren Township from 1931 until 1962.

He also served as teacher of the Men's' bible Class at the First United Methodist Church of Van Buren for 31 years and was a member of the Board of the Methodist Nursing Home in Fort Smith, at the time of his death.

Born on December 21, 1906 in Cauthron (Scott County), Arkansas he was the son of the late Elizabeth Allean (Poe) Park and Samuel Jehu Park.

He attended Cauthron Grade School and Waldron High School where he was graduated in 1922 as valedictorian of his class.

Mr. Park continued his formal education at the University of Arkansas and later (1941-19450 he served as a U of A trustee.

His career in the newspaper field began as he worked as a "printer's devil" with the Advance Reporter in Waldron, and he later was a printer at Magnolia and Prairie Grove before becoming a cub reporter for the Southwest American at Fort Smith in 1925.
He and his brother, J. C. Park, purchased the Press Argus on November 1. 1927.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Linda; a son, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Hugh Park of Van Buren; two step-daughters, Carolyn and Judy; a step-son, Sgt. Don White; two sisters, Esther and Mrs. Woods; two brothers; several nieces and nephews and give grandchildren.

Faye
December 12, 1918 - December 31, 2003

Faye Park Faye Park, 85, of Van Buren died Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2003, in a local nursing home. She was born Oct. 12, 1918, in Mountainburg. She was former co-owner of the Press Argus newspaper, a member of the Graphic New Hope Regular Baptist Church and the widow of Hugh Park. Funeral will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Ocker Memorial Chapel in Van Buren with burial at Gracelawn Cemetery in Van Buren. She is survived by two daughters, Judy Haley of Fayetteville and Carolyn Watkins of Mountainburg; one son, Don White of Montgomery, Ala.; one sister, Altha White of Fort Smith; four grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. Pallbearers will be Brandon, Haley and John King, Wesley Watkins, Josh White, Nick Bond and Anthony Simpson. Hugh Strozier./ "Times Record Obit. Fort Smith, Arkansas. 02 Jan 2004. Archived: 11 Feb. 2010."

Photo courtesy of Frances Allen Titsworth

Contributed on 7/24/22 by Bill060
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Record #: 1441060

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Submitted: 7/24/22 • Approved: 8/17/22 • Last Updated: 8/20/22 • R1441060-G1441060-S3

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