Obituaries
William O. Park II
August 28, 1931 - November 12, 2022
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VISITATION
November 19, 2022 | 9:30 A.M.-11:30 A.M. -
Yurs Funeral Home
405 East Main Street
Saint Charles, IL 60174 - Funeral
- November 19, 2022 | 11:30 A.M.
-
Yurs Funeral Home
405 East Main Street
Saint Charles, IL 60174 -
Burial Location
Mount Emblem Cemetery
William O. “Bill” Park II, 91, died Saturday, November 12 after a long struggle with thyroid cancer.
Bill was born in Chicago on August 28, 1931, the son of Willis and Elsie Park. He grew up in Chicago’s Garfield Park neighborhood. He was a small, unassuming, and extremely intelligent child. He skipped a grade in grammar school, and graduated from Crane Technical High School before earning a Bachelor’s degree in engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). Shortly thereafter, he was drafted into the US Army, where he served in the Signal Corps during his active duty in West Germany from 1952-1954.
Returning to Chicago from Europe just a week before his beloved mother’s death, Bill earned a Master’s degree in engineering at IIT, and started his career in fire protection engineering and building inspection. During this time he lived with his sister (Patricia) and her husband (Chester Rozanski) in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. He took guitar lessons at the Old Town School of Folk Music. Another outlet for his interests was the American Youth Hostels (AYH) organization. After joining AYH in the mid-1950s, Bill developed a taste for travel, bicycling, hiking, and skiing. He would in time become a long-serving president of the Chicago AYH chapter. It was through his involvement in AYH that he met the love of his life: Lois Burmester.
On March 16, 1968, he married Lois in Hinckley, Illinois.
1968 was also the year when Bill completed his formal education with a Master’s degree in business administration from the University of Chicago. Bill and Lois moved to Geneva, IL later that year and they raised their two children: Allison (born in 1969) and David (born in 1971). The house was a fixer-upper, and Bill and Lois worked tirelessly to make it a proper home. Weekends were spent stripping paint, hanging wallpaper, refinishing floors, and more. Bill and Lois loved living in Geneva, a quiet town where they maintained their own cherished and unpretentious heterodoxy. Saturday mornings there would be opera blaring from the stereo. Bill’s love of gardening turned the yard into a well-curated home for a wide range of cultivated plants, but none brought him as much joy as his rose garden.
Bill worked as a university risk manager for the University of Chicago from 1968-1978, and then for Northwestern University, from 1978 until his retirement in 1998. He developed many close friendships at both universities, and his career found him volunteering for leadership roles in RIMS (The Risk Management Society) and URMIA (University Risk Management & Insurance Association). While at Northwestern, Bill founded the Rubicon Insurance Company, a venture that allowed the university to reduce costs, ensure coverage, and provide access to reinsurance markets.
In his home life and at work, Bill was renowned for his kindness and for his sense of humor.
Bill is survived by his wife Lois, sister Patricia Rozanski (Chester), daughter Allison (Michael), son David (Sarah); a granddaughter (Calistoga); and nieces and nephews.
Friends and family will gather for visitation at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, November 19 at Yurs Funeral Home, 405 E. Main Street, St. Charles, IL (corner of Rt. 64 and 25). A service will follow at 11:30 a.m. This will be followed by a reception at Fiora’s at 317 S. 3rd St. in Geneva.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Cancer Society.
To leave an online condolence or remembrance to the family, visit the funeral home’s obituary page at www.yursfuneralhomes.com. For more information, please call the Yurs Funeral Home in St. Charles, (630)-584-0060.
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Condolences
Victoria Islas Stone from Cape Girardeau , MO
"Allison I'm so sorry for your loss my deepest condolences and sympathy for you and your family during this time. Cherish all the memories and good times you had together, that's what he would want you to remember I'm sure. ❤️"
Barton Koop from West Fairlee , VT
"I have so many happy memories of your father. Tending his gardens, driving us to soccer practice, chasing the mean cat away. He was kind, thoughtful, funny, and over the years became more than my best friends dad, he became a friend. His presence over the entire course of my life has been a gift and the sadness I feel is surely dwarfed by your own. I hope you will take some comfort in knowing that Bill (Mr. Park) will be in my memories for as long as I draw breath."
Ashley Towne and Alain Park Family from Chicago , IL
"We’re sending you love and condolences, Dave, to you and your family. We’re sorry for your loss of your dad and hope his memory will give you all comfort."
Larry Stephens from Bloomington, IN
"I met Bill in the mid-1980's at a MURMIA meeting. As risk managers (I was at Indiana University) we were members of URMIA (University Risk Management Assoc) and MURMIA was the midwest group that met twice a year. Bill was always a gentleman and quite helpful to me as I was new to that field. Some of my fondest memories include Bill and those meetings. I will always remember him."
Ben Schull from Wheaton, IL
"My deepest sympathies to Bill's family and friends. Bill was one of the kindest, most thoughtful individuals that greeted everyone with a beautiful smile. He was very smart, very knowledgeable and a great risk manager. I always enjoyed meeting with Bill at NW or RIMS meeting or National RIMS Conventions. He enjoyed life and famiiy. Bill will always be in my mind as one of the best examples of humanity and an example to immulate to make the world a better place."
Joel and Jenn Boyd from Wilmette, IL
"Alli, we’re so sorry to hear about your loss. We enjoyed getting to meet your dad at various Thanksgiving open houses over the years. Wishing you and your family peace and happy memories during this difficult time."
Jim Sims from St. Charles, IL
"I am very sorry to hear that Mr. Park passed away. May all the good memories you have shared over the years bring you comfort today, and throughout the future. Dave, my thoughts are with you and your family. Take care."
Randi (Hauser) Hussey from St Charles, IL
"Allison and David, I’m so sorry to have just heard of your dear father’s passing. I used to run into your parents at Starbucks in Geneva and we’d always talk about our wonderful neighborhood when you were all young. He loved talking about his old Porsche and reminded me to call whenever I wanted a ride. He was one of the kindest neighbors I can remember. My sincere condolences to your family."
Carleen Bart from St Charles, IL
"Lois, I am so sorry for you and your family. You will continue to be in my prayers. I think of you often."
Dan Wright from Deerfield, IL
"Alli, when we spent time together in college, I was so fortunate to meet your family and be a guest at your house in Geneva. Despite that this was decades ago, I distinctly recall (before I met him) hearing how much you loved and admired your father. You mentioned that he was one of the top people in his field.You may not recall, but I had the privilege of a 1-1 dinner with him at a restaurant. He was such a nice man, and I quickly felt at ease while listening to him describe how much he enjoyed spending time with you and his family (such as on family trips). I believe that he introduced me to potato leek soup, and it was very good. I often think of him when seeing that as an option on the menu.Of course, your parents were very nice to me. They hosted me while I looked for an apartment to rent in Chicago and let me borrow their car for some of the logistics. I so appreciated and needed this as I had just graduated from college and was about to start a new job. Unexpectedly, I had to extend my stay by another day or 2. Thank goodness they were so hospitable.I also visited him at his office at Northwestern. I was even more impressed, as he described some of the issues that he dealt with, many of them involving students. I completely understood your admiration of him.My thoughts are with you and your family during this difficult time."
Udo Töpfer from Jena in Thuringia Germany, DE
"I am so sorry to hear about the death of William. I know Bill since 2009, when he answered to my post in a genealogy forum. He was an expert in genealogy and made a major contribution to find out more about the immigration of our relatives (his grandma) from Germany to Cook County in the late 19th century. All information was confirmed by finding old letters from family sent more than 100 years ago between Chicago and Thuringia in Germany, where a part of Bills ancestors lived. It was a highlight to visit Bill and his family in Geneva in 2013. He was very welcome to visit us in Thuringia/Germany. He told me that it was of course impossible for him to visit Thuringia in East Germany during his active duty in the US Army in West Germany. We will never forget our relative and friend Bill! Thank you for all and Goodbye!/Danke für alles und auf Wiedersehen!"
Leslie Juby from Geneva, IL
"Lois, I am so sorry to learn of Bill's passing. He was such a gentle soul and I truly enjoyed getting to know you both through Historic Home Owners. I am thinking of you and your family and hope that your memories bring you some peace during this difficult time."
Ginny Kaczmarek and Ian Johnson from New Orleans, LA
"Our deepest condolences to your entire family. We can only imagine how proud Bill was of his kids. We'll keep you all in our hearts."