William Anthony Park

1934 - 2025

William Anthony ("Tony") Park

June 4, 1934 - May 23, 2025

Boise, Idaho - W. Anthony "Tony" Park died peacefully at home on Friday, May 23, 2025, at the age of 90.

Tony was born on June 4, 1934, in Blackfoot, Idaho, to Bill and Thellie Park. He was the middle child of three, raised with his older sister Pattie and younger brother Lonnie. In 1943, the family moved to Boise, settling in the North End where Tony had a classic boyhood filled with Boy Scouts, Little League, and hanging out at Murray's Drive In.

Tony's dedication to public service was deeply rooted in his parents' devotion to FDR and the New Deal. He met Frank Church at an Idaho Young Democrats convention in Boise in 1954 and was captivated by Church's eloquence and vision - an admiration that would grow into a lifelong friendship. Frank was one of Tony's heroes.

Tony earned a football scholarship to Boise Junior College, where he earned an Associate's degree and played under legendary coach Lyle Smith. After a brief stint at the University of Idaho in a combined undergraduate and law program, he volunteered for the U.S. Army in 1956. Although initially slated for Germany, Tony's brief time in law school landed him an unexpected assignment in Philadelphia working alongside military lawyers. Though he doubted his qualifications, his commanding officer told him, "Private Park, if the Army says you're a lawyer, you're a lawyer!" The experience solidified his desire to become one and gained him some maturity.

Following his service, Tony returned to the University of Idaho to finish his degree and attend law school. In Moscow, he met and married Betsy Taylor and moved to Boise. Their daughter, Susie, was born in 1962; son Adam was born in 1965; daughter Pattie followed in 1968. Tony and Betsy divorced in 1980 but remained good friends.

Tony's electoral career began with a 1964 bid for Ada County Prosecutor, followed by two (unsuccessful) legislative runs. In 1968, Tony chaired Bobby Kennedy's Idaho presidential campaign and served as the state's sole Kennedy delegate at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. After Kennedy's assassination in June, Tony attended his funeral in New York City and was deeply honored to serve in the rotating honor guard of Kennedy's casket before the funeral. At the convention later that summer, Tony cast a symbolic half-vote for George McGovern, who served as a stand-in for Kennedy. Years later, Tony met Senator McGovern at an event in Boise and told him, "I am the one half-vote."

In 1970, at age 36, Tony was elected Idaho Attorney General. As AG, Tony was a progressive force and strong administrator. He created the state's Environmental Protection Division and launched the Consumer Protection program, which established the AG's office as a key defender of Idaho's consumers. In 1973, Tony's AG office faced a major challenge: a scandal involving misconduct by undercover narcotics officers in Pocatello. Narcotics enforcement was new to the AG's office. Having no law enforcement background, Tony chose to trust the professionals who were running the narcotics bureau. Unfortunately, his trust was misplaced. He participated fully in the investigation into the wrongdoing and acted swiftly to remove bad actors, but the media dubbed the scandal "Park's Narcs," which ultimately derailed his re-election bid in 1974. Though politically devastating, later in life Tony grew to understand that he bore the fallout of the scandal because he was the elected leader.

Tony remained a central figure in Idaho Democratic politics for decades, chairing the state party, participating in presidential and Senate campaigns, and mentoring many local and state-wide candidates. His public service also extended beyond politics and elected office. He served on several boards, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the American Lung Association, and the ACLU of Idaho. He was general counsel and board secretary for the Killebrew-Thompson Memorial Golf Tournament in Sun Valley for 43 years. At the invitation of Bethine Church, he served on the board of the Frank Church Institute at Boise State for many years, including a decade as its chair - a role he deeply cherished.

Tony had a lifelong love of theater. In the 1980s and '90s, he took roles in local productions such as Camelot, Annie Get Your Gun, Inherit the Wind, and A Man for All Seasons. One favorite memory was his "brilliant" delivery of his only line in a college production of Detective Story: "The son of a b*tch shot Jim!"

In 2021, Tony published his memoir, An Idaho Democrat: A Political Memoir of a Political Life. Filled with personal stories and insights from his lifetime in Idaho politics, the book makes a lasting contribution to Idaho Democrats, historians, and all who are interested in political history.

Tony had a rare gift for friendship. At parties, he was always quick with a joke or a funny anecdote, his signature laugh booming across the room. His charisma, warmth, and decency earned him admiration and respect across the political spectrum. He formed close bonds with Democrats and Republicans alike, including former AGs and Supreme Court Justices Jim Jones and Wayne Kidwell, and former District Judge Duff McKee, with whom he lunched weekly at Eddie's Diner.

In 1983, Tony married the love of his life, Gail Chaloupka. Together, they shared 43 wonderful years, traveling extensively and socializing with their many friends.

Tony is survived by his beloved wife, Gail Chaloupka; daughter Susan Park; son Adam Park and daughter-in-law Cece Gassner; son-in-law Shane Woytko; grandchildren Aaron Tate, Will Tate, Anna Woytko, Jake Woytko, and Elise Park; his dear brother, Lonnie Park, and sister-in-law, Annette Park; his nieces and nephews Cindy Amos, Sallie Bertram Lester (Ron), Jan Gillespie Shaw (Gary), Julie Gillespie, Debbie Park Williams (Jeff), Jennifer Park Cox (Steve), and Matthew Park (Amy); his former wife Betsy Hall (Kirk); and numerous great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Pattie Park Woytko; sister Pattie Gillespie; and his parents, Bill and Thellie Park.

Tony Park was one of the last great Democratic lions to win statewide office in Idaho. His life was shaped by a devotion to fairness, justice, public service, and the belief that government should serve the people - especially those without wealth or power. He left his beloved Idaho a better place. He will be dearly missed.