Ruth Park believed 'communities didn't make themselves'
She stood just over five feet tall, but with her trademark red hair and boundless energy, Ruth Park loomed large over countless nonprofit organizations in Schaumburg.
Mrs. Park passed away on Saturday. Though no one close to her would divulge her exact age, sources say she was in her 80s. More than half her life, or 49 years had been spent in Schaumburg.
"She was involved in anything and everything that needed help," says Schaumburg Mayor Al Larson. "She was quite a dynamic lady."
He points to her imprint on such vital organizations as the Prairie Center for the Arts Foundation, the Children's Advocacy Center in Hoffman Estates, Shelter Inc. in Arlington Heights and the Woodfield Area Children's Organization in Schaumburg, to name a few.
"My mother always felt a community doesn't make itself," says her daughter, Lynne Park of Schaumburg. "It's the people who make a community work."
Mrs. Park helped launch many of the area's signature events, from Shelter's annual Charity Ball, which returns for its 23rd edition on Nov. 19, to the "Denim and Diamonds" event for the Children's Advocacy Center.
"I have never seen anyone so dedicated to giving back as she was," says MaryAnn Flynn, vice president of Peoples' Bank in Arlington Heights.
Mrs. Park moved to the community with her husband, John, and daughter, Lynne, in 1961 from Dayton, Ohio. As a homemaker and mother, she started volunteering with her daughter's school, St. Peter Lutheran School in Schaumburg.
As a part-time job, she fell back on her banking experience before she married, and did the payroll for the former Golden Acres Golf Course in Schaumburg. It led to a job offer from Ward Weaver, who asked her to be among the first employees of the new Schaumburg State Bank.
From there, Mrs. Park would build a long career in banking in the Northwest suburbs, working her way up to operations manager. She later worked at Arlington Federal Savings & Loan before returning to Schaumburg to manage the Premiere Club at AmericaUnited Bank and Trust Company.
Her network of contacts stretched far across the business community in Schaumburg. Consequently, in 2001, when Brian Burke, president and CEO of Link Technology, wanted to start the Schaumburg Business Association, he turned to Mrs. Park.
"I knew lots of people who would get involved and could give of their resources," Burke says, "but I knew that Ruth would immediately jump on board and get things rolling."
Burke says members of the Schaumburg Business Association will honor Mrs. Park's legacy to the business and wider community of Schaumburg at their major fundraiser on Saturday, the Toast of Schaumburg, at the Schaumburg Renaissance Hotel & Convention Center.
Visitation for Mrs. Park takes place from 3-9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 5 at Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral and Cremation Services, 330 W. Golf Road, Schaumburg, before an 11 a.m. Wednesday funeral service at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 208 E. Schaumburg Road.