Martha Louise Park

Martha Louise Park of Brookville passed away on August 20, 2015, surrounded by her loving family.

Martha was born in Clarion, PA on July 20, 1934, the second-oldest child of Catherine (Brinkley) and William Sloan.

Martha graduated from Clarion-Limestone High School in 1952 and worked at the Brookville Sylvania Plant for a time, before eventually marrying James Alton (Jim) Park of Brookville in 1959.

Martha and Jim lived in several places, including Clarion and the Poconos, before permanently settling in Brookville in 1962.

After Jim opened Park’s Coin and Gun Shop on Main Street in Brookville, Martha spent many years keeping shop; later in life, she worked at Brookville Goodwill. Martha and Jim had two children, Crystal and Douglas; she was a devoted and fun-loving mom who was very proud of her children. Martha touched many people’s lives with her warmth, kindness and compassion. She was a natural extrovert, able to strike up a conversation with anyone; consequently, she had many friends and was always making new ones. She had a great sense of humor and was quick with a joke and a smile. Martha had a big heart and generous spirit; she particularly loved children and animals (especially her cats Bart and Blackie).

She never lost her childlike wonder for the world, and took delight in even the smallest things. She loved being outside, whether at Rehoboth Beach or Cook Forest or just her own backyard, and summer was her favorite time of year. She enjoyed celebrating all holidays and took especially great joy in celebrating Christmas with her family and friends. She was a tireless shopper with a passion for clothes and shoes, and was renowned for her sweet-tooth, especially for candy, cookies and ice cream. Martha was a devout Roman Catholic and a member of Immaculate Conception Parish in Brookville for over 50 years; she was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society and volunteered at her church as well as at Laurelbrooke and the library.

Although Jim’s untimely death in 1997 took a tremendous toll on her, she was able to find happiness with her family and friends until health challenges over the past few years increasingly restricted her ability to actively engage with life.

Martha was predeceased by her parents and six of her siblings: Mary Sloan, Caroline Black, Florence Reichard, William Bernard Sloan, and twins William and Bernard Sloan.

Martha is greatly missed and fondly remembered by those who survive her, including her daughter Crystal Park and husband Craig Esposito, her son Doug and wife Katen Park and their daughters Sophie and Anna, her sisters Patricia (Clair) McCall and Annie Sloan, her brothers Robert (Darlene) Sloan and Thomas Nuhfer, brother-in-laws A. Randall (Carol) Park and Forrest Park, sister-in-law Nancy Park, former sister-in-law Anna Mae Park, and her many nieces and nephews.

Father William Laska conducted Mass of Christian Burial on August 22, 2015, at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Brookville, PA, and she was interred at the Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Clarion, PA.

Arrangements were handled by the McKinney – d’Argy Funeral Home in Brookville, PA.

Charitable contributions in her name may be made to Gateway Humane Society, Inc., 1211 Airport Road, Falls Creek, PA 15840; Immaculate Conception Church, 129 Graham Ave., Brookville, PA 15825; or Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, 1359 Broadway, Suite 1509, New York, NY 10018.