Thursday 1 April 2010

Obituary: James Walter Clark

Better late than never, I thought I'd link to Jim's Obituary in the local paper.

Here it is reproduced for posterity:
James Walter Clark, age 73, passed away on March 19, 2010 in Prescott, Ariz. at the VA Hospital. He was born on Aug. 21, 1936 in Alton, Ill.

Jim graduated from Marquette High School and later earned his Master of Social Work degree Summa Cum Laude in 1986 from Arizona State University. He had a successful career in the U.S. Navy from 1954 until retirement in 1983. From 1987 to 2008 Jim was a social worker at the VA Hospital in Prescott.

During his long Naval career, Jim received the Seventh Good Conduct award the National Defense Service medal, Vietnam Service medal (2 stars), Vietnam Campaign medal, and the Antarctic Service medal. In his youth, Jim participated in dramatics and held many lead roles in school plays. He was artistic in many ways. He enjoyed painting and more recently, interior design. He was an avid runner and completed at least two marathons. Much of his time was devoted to the work he loved at the VA. He touched countless lives as a social worker there for the past 21 years. One could arguably say that the most important thing in Jim's life was his stepson, Daniel, with whom he shared a close bond and lived with and cared for until his recent illness prevented it. Jim will be greatly missed.

Jim is survived by his stepdaughter, Heather McFarlane; stepson, Daniel McMakin; grandsons, Owain and James McFarlane; and sister, Joanne Clark. He joins his wife, Jane Clark who passed in 1991.

There will be a service for Jim at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 27, 2010 at the VA Chapel in Prescott, Ariz. Following the service will be a Celebration of Life gathering at his home. The family would like to thank the staff at the VA Medical Center for their extraordinary care of Jim and their ceaseless support of Jim's loved ones.

Hampton Funeral Home was entrusted with the arrangements. Please visit www.hamptonfuneralhome.com to sign Jim's guestbook.

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