Deacon Park was devoted to 2 parishes and 3 beloved organizations

After converting to the Catholic faith, Deacon Loren Randall “Randy” Park went all in.

The committed husband, father and law enforcement officer felt called to serve the Church, his family said in a written memorial.

He was ordained a deacon in 2017 and served at Christ the King and St. Benedict the Moor parishes in Omaha. He became especially involved in Virtus et Veritas Ministries, which includes a camp for boys; Holy Family Shrine in Gretna; and Holy Family Ranch, under development near Scribner.

Deacon Park died on June 22, Corpus Christi Sunday, ending his battle with a malignant brain cancer. He was 67.

A vigil service was held June 25 at Christ the King Church. A Mass of Christian Burial was set for 10 a.m. on the following day, June 26, at the church at 654 S. 86th St .

Burial will be at Resurrection Cemetery in Omaha.

Mourners shared the impact the deacon had in their lives and in the archdiocese.

“Deacon Park was our biggest V2 promoter and recruiter from the very beginning,” wrote Toby Korensky, executive director of Virtus et Veritas Ministries, in a letter to supporters. “He has recruited campers, youth leaders, scholarship campers, adult volunteers, and fellow deacons to join our V2 mission to transform young men.”

Deacon Park also had a long-running connection with Holy Family Shrine.

That relationship began when he stopped by the shrine every day after working in Lincoln, said Matt Sakowski, shrine caretaker.

“It would be like clockwork almost every day,” Sakowski said. “At five minutes until close, he would run into the shrine. He just wanted to spend five minutes with Jesus. That was so important to him. He felt like he couldn’t just drive by the shrine and not say hi to Jesus.

“That’s how I got to know him.”

The two became good friends, and Deacon Park became a regular volunteer on weekends.

After he was ordained, Deacon Park helped establish Eucharistic Exposition and Benediction at Holy Family on most First Fridays of the month.

“That was very important to him,” his friend said.

Deacon Park served on the shrine’s board of directors. He continued to volunteer, even after he became sick, along with his wife, Terri.

“He was so amazing when he was dealing with his illness,” Sakowski said. “Every time I encountered him – and I knew sometimes he was very uncomfortable – but he was just as smiley and positive as could be.”

“He was just such a joyful person, and he loved so much talking about his faith. He was never afraid to share anything.”

“He just loved people,” Sakowski said. “You could really see that in him.”

Deacon Park was preceded in death by his father, Loren Park, and father- and mother-in-law, Floyd and Joann Morris.

Survivors include his wife of more than 45 years; children Sarah Park, Christopher Park (Asya) and Hannah Hasz (Jacob); granddaughters Liliana and Francesca Hasz and Layla and Sofia Park; his mother, Dorothy (Dot) Park; sister Julie Hans (Mike); brother Bryan Park (Samantha); sisters-in-law Judy Vieth (Bill), Patricia Morris, Cathy Clark (Todd), Mary Morris and Amy Morris; nieces and nephews.

Memorials were suggested to V2 Ministries, Holy Family Shrine and Holy Family Ranch.