A FORMER York GP, church warden, Round Table chairman and medical society president has died, aged 95.

Dr Tom Park worked for decades at a surgery in York Road, Acomb, having begun his medical career in York working as a locum for Dr Reginald Dench, the father of Oscar-winning actress Dame Judi Dench.

This was followed by a house physician’s post at the city’s hospital, where he met his future wife Doreen, who was working as a radiographer.

After spending three years doing National Service as a medical officer, he returned to York to work as an assistant to a Dr Dudgeon in the busy practice in Acomb, with every night on call and an occasional weekend off if it could be arranged.

Over the years he and Doreen also became involved in the life of York.

He became a member of the Local Medical Committee and served on the City Health Committee, and joined the York Round Table, becoming chairman and then area chairman.

He joined the management committee of The Cheshire Home at Alne Hall, his involvement in the home lasting for more than 40 years.

He became interested in medical orthopaedics and got a clinical assistant post and later became a specialist as a ‘hospital practitioner.’

He took up spinal manipulation in his clinic and became a tutor for the British Association of Manipulative Medicine and was made a Fellow.

He gave up general practice at 60 but kept up hospital work for another five years, and also became president of York Medical Society for a year.

He also became a church warden at St Stephen’s Church in Acomb, and he and Doreen hosted a church garden party in their garden every year and organised the raising of £15,000 to repair the church’s steeple.

He was also chairman of the parish church hall committee for a number of years, organised the making of 170 new hassocks after a church fire and wrote a book on the history of the church.

He also enjoyed sailing and sailed an Enterprise dinghy on the river in York.

Doreen became a magistrate and was also chairman of The Church of England’s Children’s Home and was on the board of visitors at the then Wetherby Borstal.

The couple enjoyed walking and went on long distance walks such as The West Highland Way and The Cotswold Way. They also went on safaris in Kenya and trekking in Nepal and Kashmir, walked the Inca Trail to Machu Pitchu and spent three weeks on a botanical trip to Outer Mongolia.

Dr Park leaves Doreen and three children, Lindie, Jonathan and Susie, and five granddaughters and two great grandsons.

A thanksgiving service will be held at St Stephen’s Church at noon on Monday, June 24, with the congregation asked not to wear black.