Carrie Park's boarding group for a one-way redeye flight to the skies above departed Friday morning, November 17th, 2023. This is the message Carrie wanted to tell you, in her own words:

"I know the first thing that people are gonna do, and this is what bothers me. They're gonna look at this obituary and say, 'aw, she was so young. There's so much she didn't get to do…' No. I am young, of course, but I'd rather them say, 'Oh my gosh, look how much she did in that amount of time!' We did everything! My God! Did we not go everywhere? The other thing that they need to know is that I had four of the most amazing kids - and the best, best, best thing is that I found Jon…"

She took on pancreatic cancer head-on with the same can-do warrior spirit that so many love about her. Carrie was 55 years old. She'll be forever missed by her family and friends.

It would be wrong to say that Carrie lost her battle because she never stopped fighting. No matter how sick she was, she was always determined. Through her, we know what resilience and perseverance truly look like.

Always an avid traveler, Carrie visited all 50 states, 25 countries, and countless UNESCO World Heritage sites. She was a keen learner, obtaining a litany of degrees from english and communication, teaching, to law. Later in life, she became the Director of Junior Leadership Medina County and expanded the program to become the largest in the United States. Those who went through her program will never forget her wit and passion. To Carrie, success was not just a lesson learned but a lesson loved.

Carrie is survived by her husband, Jon Park; her two sons, Reese (Alicia) and Connor (Gabi) Wells; her two stepdaughters, Courtnie and Emma Park; her mother, Judy Tuttle; her sister, Kristin (Paul) Johnides; and her nephew and niece, Keaton Lewis and Cameron Johnides.

Visitation is 1-4 & 6-8 p.m., Sunday, November 26, 2023, at Waite & Son Funeral Home, 765 N. Court St., Medina.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, November 27, 2023, at Medina United Church of Christ, Congregational, 217 E. Liberty St., Medina.

It would bring a smile to Carrie's face to continue teaching leadership skills to future generations of students, so in lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Leadership Medina County designated to the Carrie Park Junior Leadership Legacy Fund. Contributions can be made online at https://tinyurl.com/donatecarriepark, or forms will be available at services on Sunday, November 26th and Monday, November 27th. Further information about memorial services is available at https://www.waitefuneralhome.com/obituary/carrie-park.