Obituaries : Ex-GOP Official William H. Park, 61
A memorial service is scheduled today for William H. Park, a former state Republican Party official and Gov. George Deukmejian’s 1982 campaign co-chairman.
Park, 61, died Friday in a Bakersfield hospital after what was described only as “an illness.”
In 1983, Park was elected secretary of the state party and two years later became vice chairman. However, in February, 1987, the party broke the tradition of elevating the vice chairman to the top spot and instead chose former Assemblyman Robert Naylor of Menlo Park.
Park began his political career in 1960 when he became GOP precinct chairman for the 28th Assembly District. In 1965, he was elected to the Bakersfield City Council, where he served until 1967.
He was a former administrative assistant to former Rep. Bob Matthias and was the GOP nominee in the state Senate 18th District in 1970.
In addition to heading the 1982 Deukmejian campaign, Park served as Kern County chairman for Mike Curb’s campaign for lieutenant governor in 1978.
A professional geologist, he was a member of the Kern County Republican Central Committee at the time of his death.
He is survived by his wife, Myrt, two daughters and seven grandchildren.
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