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Park was born Feb. 10, 1924, in Bristol, daughter of Dr. Paul Park and Margaret Taylor Park. She attended Connecticut College and the Hartford Seminary Foundation. In 1947, she received a master's degree in social work from Smith College.
After living in Manhattan and working at the Community Service Society as a caseworker and supervisor, she moved to Fairfield in 1954. She was an advocate for children and their families in the Bridgeport area for more than 50 years. She laid the groundwork for the first infant day-care center in the state of Connecticut.
She served on numerous boards, including the Greater Bridgeport Area Foundation, which awarded her the Arthur Lumin Humanitarian Award in 2006; the Greater Bridgeport Coalition for Choice; the School Volunteer Association of Bridgeport; the Fairfield Museum and History Center, and the Connecticut Coalition against Gun Violence, of which she was a founding member.
In 1962, she joined the Family Services Woodfield and for 20 years served as senior associate executive director with Dick Lewis and Brian Langdon. She retired in 1987. Before retiring, she and Langdon created the Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition, where she served as its chairperson for 12 years. BCAC established the Jan Park Civic Leadership Award in her name.
Park was a longtime member of the Unitarian Church in Westport and created the Social Justice Council.
Park is survived by her sister, Lois Park Conrod (Ernest) of Bristol; and a niece, a nephew and cousins.
Park’s ashes will be buried in the memorial garden of the Unitarian Church in Westport, where a memorial service will be held July 14 at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, contributions be sent to one of two funds which Park created: The Social Justice Fund of the Unitarian Church in Westport, 10 Lyons Plains Road, Westport, CT 06880 or the Janice Park Social Justice Fund of the Fairfield County Community Foundation, 383 Main Ave., Norwalk, CT 06851.
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