Louise Park Coram

Louise Park Coram

July 29, 1925 – May 21, 2026

Durham

Louise (“Lou”) Park Coram, 100, passed away peacefully at Croasdaile Village in Durham on

Thursday, May 21, 2026. Louise was born in Surry County on July 29, 1925, the first-born child of

the late James Winfield Park and Beulah Sloop Park. She was preceded in death by her husband

of 51 years, Fred J Coram; sisters, Marie Combs, Sadie Martin, and Ruby Faye Couch; and

brothers, Bobby Park and Roger Park. She is survived by two daughters, Phyllis Coram-Ehardt

(Tom Ehardt) of Houston, and Alice Coram of Raleigh; a son, Richard Coram (Diane Mewborn) of

Reidsville; two grandsons, Scott Ehardt (Sarah Lenceski) of Rogers, Arkansas, and Neal Ehardt

(Janeffer Cherian) of Houston; a great-granddaughter, Amara Ehardt; and many loving cousins,

nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, and friends.

Louise grew up on a farm in the Friendship Community of Surry County and graduated from Elkin

High School in 1943. Following her marriage to Fred Coram in 1947, she moved to Boonville

where she took the name “Lou” to avoid confusion with Fred’s brother’s wife who was also named

Louise Coram. Lou lived in Boonville for the next 64 years. She found great fulfillment in caring for

her family, cooking, gardening, and sewing. An enthusiastic gardener, she was always ready to

share her vegetables and offer gardening pointers. A longtime member of Boonville Baptist

Church, she was active in the Women’s Missionary Union and especially enjoyed volunteering in

numerous activities with young children. Boonville residents fondly remember her kindness, love

of nature, cooking skills, and the popcorn balls she made and gave to trick-or-treaters.

After Fred’s death in 1999, Lou continued living in their Boonville home for another 12 years.

When she began to find it challenging to tend her garden and care for her house, she moved in

2011 to a Raleigh independent-living apartment near her daughter, Alice. There, she made many

new friends and enjoyed a more relaxed lifestyle. Following a severe fall in early 2018, she moved

to an assisted-living apartment in Durham. After suffering strokes later that year, she moved in

early 2019 to the skilled nursing center at Croasdaile Village.

In the nursing center, Lou’s favorite indoor activities were arranging flowers, listening to musical

entertainment, and watching birds at an outdoor feeder. As a nature lover, she always enjoyed

going outside, especially to a nearby lake where she saw songbirds and mallards and often

spotted a great blue heron. She, of course, wanted to examine the trees, shrubs and flowers along

the way. Blessed with an uncanny memory, Lou enjoyed telling stories, much to the delight and

entertainment of those around her.

The family members extend their heartfelt gratitude to Croasdaile Village’s physicians and skilled-

nursing team for the exceptional care, love, and support given to Lou and her family during the

more than seven years she resided there. The kindhearted staff became like extended family to

Lou and her children.

A private graveside service attended by family members will be held soon. The Celebration of Life

service will be at Boonville Baptist Church on Saturday, June 27, at 2:00 PM. Prior to this service

the family will receive friends in the church’s Family Life Center from 1:00 to 1:50 PM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Boonville Baptist Church, P.O. Box 429,

Boonville, NC 27011, or to UMRH Foundation (write “Croasdaile Village Pavilion” on the memo

line), 2600 Croasdaile Farm Parkway, Suite A-500, Durham, NC 27705.

Gentry Family Funeral Service of Yadkinville is serving the Coram family.