The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1910-09-10
IN ETERNAL REST.
Mrs John F. Park. Truly Noble Christian
Woman, Passes Peacefully Away After
Long Illness.

Among the victims lately claimed by
the hand Of death in our fair city, none
was more notable and none more uni
versally regretted than was Mrs. Mary
Catherine Fitzgerald Park beloved wife OF
John F. Park, who departed this life at |
o'clock Tuesday morning, surrounded by
the members of her family and fortified
! by all the consultations of the Catholic
Church of which she was a devout men,
ber
Mrs. Park was native of Fermoy, Cork
| County, Ireland, where she was born
seventy Zone years ago. She came to the
i United States with a brother and sister
when she was fifteen years old and
landed in New York In 1857 she re-
moved to New Orleans and there met
John F. Park, to whom she was married
on June s, 1861. at the Jesuit Church.
Shortly after her marriage she removed
with her husband to Donaldsonville and
they have resided here continually ever
since. In 1865 she and her husband
bought lot of ground in Chetimaches
street, on which they built residence in
1868, which they have occupied as home
ever since.
Seldom does death claim nobler vic
tim and seldom does it leave in its wake
such consolation mingled with sorrow. It
is true, indeed, that nothing crowns our
life's work better than the manner of our
leaving it, and most true is it of the dear
deceased.
In full possession of her mental faculties
to the very last, and conscious of life
well spent and a duty well performed
towards her God, her family and her
country, and with a smile of peace and
contentment upon her lips she sank into
eternal sleep in the arms of her priest
son, deeply and sincerely mourned by a
beloved husband and devoted children
and grandchildren. The end was peace
ful-it was painless; it was like little
child sinking quietly to sleep at its
mothers breast. She realized at the end
the reward of life well spent as de-
voted helpmeet and a heroic Christian
mother.
1t had been her purpose in life to rear
her children in the fear Of God and respect
for His law; to make them devout Catho-
lies and useful members of society, and
well has she ACCOMPLISHED her work Of
/ her sons, Father Edward Park of the
Congregation of the Missions, is working
zealously, successfully and unselfshly for
the salvation of souls in Fort Worth, Tex;
William Park is cashier of the Bank of
Donaldsonville and alderman of the city;
Joseph Park is chief engineer of the
Gold Mine sugarfactory in St. John parish.
A daughter, Sister Mary Clara, of the
Sist ers of Charity. is supervisor of the
paroGhial school OF st, Stephens Church.
Her deep abiding faith so characters
tic of the sons and daughters of the
Emerald Isle, showed itself in the man
agement of her household, where a pri-
vate oratory was kept and into which the
| family was assembled daily for its relig-
ious devotions. Her enduring patience
in the long illness which afflicted her was
a noble example of Christian fortitude.
Above all, her sweet, gentle unostenta-
tious charity so assiduously hidden that
her own family knew naught of it till
after her demise, was her one loved oc-
cupation in her later years when her sons
had grown and were honored members of
society.
The high esteem in which she was held
by the public generally as well as her
family, was shown in the number who
came to sympathize with the bereaved
and drop tear Of sorrow at the bior
of offer a prayer for the soul of the
departed.
The funeral services were held at the
Catholic church Wednesday morning at
TO O'Clock, with all the solemn rites which
attend the funeral services of a deceased
member of the clergy. The celehrant was
Father Edward Park son of the de-
ceased. The deacon aud subdeacon were
Father Joseph Gardes. of Smoke
Bend and Father Vincent Scramuzza, as
sistant to Father Massarder Father j.
A. Linn, rector of St. Stephens Church
New Orleans. was master of ceremonies
In the sanctuary were Father j. NJ T
Massardier, Father Louis CasteI, OF
St. John, Father F. Badeaux, of Reserve
and Fathers w. Schultz, C. NJ, and Ar
thur Reed. en-, both of St, Joseph Church
New Orleans; all close friends of the de-
toaased and of the family.
The singing was done by the choir
bays from St. Joseph's Commercial Insti-
tute, led by Brother Theodosius, who pre-
sided at the organ, Rev. Father Nassau
der delivered eulogy on the life of the
deceased. He paid most feeling trib-
ute to one whom he declared he had
learned to know and to love for her many
noble traits OF character. He referred tt
her as the true type of the noble Christian
mother; lauded her piety and devotion t
the church; commended her beautiful ex.
ample in giving one son and one daugh.
ter to the service of God. one priest ano
the other nun, and concluded by declar
ing that she had lived beautiful Chris
tan life and had died a beautiful Chris
tian death.
The church was thronged with sorrow
ing friends, and the pupils of St. Vim
cents and St. Joseph's Institutes ATTENDED
in a body. Father Massardier read thu