Mary Park

Mary Park was a popular custodian of Merced Residence Hall. Merced Hall was named after Mary Park after her retirement in 1981. Merced Hall later named Mary Park Hall, became the first (and to date) only California State University building to be dedicated to honor a staff person. Many students referred to Mary Park (1914-2002) as ‘Mother Mary.” Park was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. She started working at San Francisco State in the Dining Center on the old Buchanan Street Campus in 1951 before transitioning to the Lake Merced campus in 1952 to serve food from a temporary shack. When the Commons opened, she helped maintain the Redwood Room where students dined and relaxed. When Mary Ward Hall opened in 1960s, became supervising custodian. When Verducci Hall opened in 1969, Park became the head of custodial services for all three dormitories, serving and living with about 1,500 students a year. She supervised students and staff that cleaned the dorms often acting as a surrogate parent to residents. During the summers, the dormitories were like international hotels with Fulbright Scholars and CSU Trustees visiting for conferences Park stayed thirty years. Park was selected as the “Outstanding Staff Person” at San Francisco State in 1978. On October 26, 1981, Merced Hall was dedicated and named Mary Park Hall.