Park Foo Mark passed away at St Joseph Health Centre in Toronto, ON. on November 23, 2011 at the age of 77 years. Park was born on February 24, 1934 in the Toisan village of Jook Wu, Chonglou Township, Guangzhou (Canton) province in China. He was the youngest son of Sek Gong (Sam) Mark and Yuk Kwe Mark. His father Sek Gong Mark, a Chinese Head Tax payer was amongst the first Chinese pioneers to establish themselves in south eastern Saskatchewan, eventually becoming a business owner in Kamsack. As with most children of early Chinese immigrants in Canada, Park grew up in China with his mother and two older brothers in China while his father lived isolated from the rest of the family in Canada. At the age of seventeen Park moved to Hong Kong and eventually found an interest in cutting hair for people. Not being able to afford formal training at a barber school, he learned his skill from street haircutting vendors. He was a very talented hair cutter and was able to impress a Hong Kong barbershop owner with his skills, who eventually sponsored him to take a barber exam at a trade's college. As a licensed barber, Park became a partner of a trendy 1960's Hong Kong barber shop, with clients that were Chinese movie stars and singers. In February 1967 he married Mo Fong (Helen) Mark. With roots established in Saskatchewan decades earlier by his father and uncle, in October 1968 Park joined his mother and second older brother in Yorkton, who were already in Canada a few years earlier. As a new immigrant to Yorkton, with a young wife and baby daughter, he resumed his barber career at a local pool hall with a barbershop off Broadway Avenue. With a growing family and the demand for hair cuts in the 1970's waning, Park decided to leave his wife and two young children behind in Yorkton to find work as a barber in Vancouver, British Columbia. After finding work as a barber in Vancouver's Chinatown he sent for his wife and children to join him. Shortly after being in Vancouver, his brother convinced him to move back to Yorkton and help operate one of the local Chinese restaurants. Both he and his brother operated the Broadway Cafe in Yorkton until 1978, at which time he became the sole owner and proprietor. Park continued to operate the Broadway Cafe until he retired from the restaurant business in 1988. During his ten years as proprietor of the Broadway Cafe, his notable accomplishment was bringing in the first Chinese Buffet to Yorkton and its surrounding area. He was also given an award for Excellent Service by the Yorkton Optimist Club. In 2001 he and his wife moved to Toronto, ON. where he happily lived until his passing. He is predeceased by his mother and father, his oldest brother Yen Foo Mark and his daughter Linda. He is survived by his second older brother Lai Foo (Bob) Mark and his wife Sally. Park leaves to mourn his wife Helen, his son Andy (Karen), his daughter Sandra (John) Mark-Lee, along with many nieces and nephews in Michigan, California, Colorado and Hong Kong.
