Stephen Elden Park

Stephen Elden Park, age 77, of Harrisburg, N.C. passed away Saturday, August 6, 2022 at the Levine & Dickson Hospice House in Huntersville, N.C. He was born January 14, 1945 in Rochester, New York to the late Douglas Eaton Park and Helen Price Park. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his best friend and loving wife of 50 years, Bonnie Marie Park, and his granddaughter Margaret Ann Marie Park.

Steve worked as an electrician for many years. He was employed by GE, Kodak, SUNY Brockport, and UNC-Charlotte. He opened his own electrical business, but often did work free of charge. Steve also drove a school bus for the Spencerport School District and he was a volunteer firefighter in Brockport, Truck 31. After retirement, Steve devoted his time to helping others; he visited people in the hospital, accompanied people to their doctor’s visits, and took blankets to families with newborns. He officially became a chaplain around 2008 and repeated the training in 2010 with his dear friend, John Curran.

Steve gave his life to the Lord in 1978, shortly after the death of his mother. Steve attended Brockport Free Methodist until relocating to North Carolina in 1997, where he eventually attended Crossroads Church in Concord for several years. Since its conception in 2013, Steve has attended He’s Alive Church in Kannapolis. He served as an usher, a greeter, and on the outreach team as long as was able. He volunteered in the cafe for Vacation Bible School. Steve was passionate about loving Jesus and others; he is known for being kind, gentle, and caring. He had a great sense of humor; he always had a good story to tell and enjoyed making everyone smile and laugh.

Steve was a missionary everywhere he went and would offer prayer for anyone at any time. His favorite place to be was Rocky River Coffee Co.--a coffee shop near his home in Harrisburg–where he had his own chair and was known as “Official Greeter”, “Unofficial Mayor”, “Friend”, “Family”, and “Man of God”. He often spent much of the day there interacting with friends, patrons, and staff members. To make a “short story long”, he never met a stranger.

Steve is survived by two sons: Stephen Bergan Park and his wife Yanina, of the home, and Shawn Douglas Park and his wife Rebecca, of Sarnia, Ontario; one daughter: Sheryl Marie Florance and her husband Derek, of Kannapolis, N.C.; four grandchildren: Valeria Brocq Park, of Concord, N.C., Graeme Douglas Selassie Park and Robyn Edith Shewayee Park, both of Sarnia, Ontario, and Jaxon Scott Florance, of Kannapolis, N.C.; one brother: Douglas Park, Jr. and his wife Jeanette, of Brockport, N.Y.; one nephew: Eric Park and his wife Colleen, of Concord, N.C.; one great-nephew: Dante Park, of Concord, N.C.; one beloved aunt: Arlene Bell, of Batavia, New York, and a host of other relatives and friends.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 4:00 P.M. Sunday, August 14, 2022 at He’s Alive Church, 1310 N. Cannon Blvd., Kannapolis, N.C. 28083. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to support missions locally and beyond via the Steve Park Memorial Mission Fund . Donations may also be mailed to He’s Alive Church. The family welcomes visits from friends and relatives at Sheryl’s home: 2445 Acadia Court, Kannapolis. Online condolences may be submitted to the family at www.whitleysfuneralhome.com.