Brooks Park, member of pioneer ranching family, dies at age 87

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2000 | 3:50 a.m.

Park had been hospitalized after suffering a heart attack at Christmas. "He was active up until two days before he was hospitalized. He was out looking at his cattle," said son Bruce Park.

Park, whose grandparents settled here in the early 1870s, formed the Park Livestock Co. in 1935. He expanded the family's holdings and, in the early 1960s, leased pastures at Stateline, on Lake Tahoe's south shore, to casino operators.

Today, Harvey's Resort and Casino, Caesar's Tahoe and Horizon Casino Resort all lease their land from the Parks. The Parks also built Edgewood Golf Course at Tahoe in 1965.

The family is listed as Douglas County's largest property owner with an assessed valuation of $63.5 million.

"My father saw the change and the potential for change," said Bruce Park. "His vision not only for ranching, but also for Lake Tahoe, has been a gift to all of us. He was the original environmentalist."

"His perseverance was one of his most endearing qualities, that plus his integrity and sense of humor," he said. "He even had a twinkle in his eye the night before he died."

Park is survived by his wife Jeanne, son Bruce and two daughters, Jeanne Blach of Elko and Kay Seeliger of Reno, 14 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held Monday at St. Gall Catholic Church in Gardnerville. Burial will follow at Mottsville Cemetery.