William F. CLARK

CLARK, EARP, BUSS, RUMLEY, LEE, SPEERS, HARTGERS, CARSTENSEN, VELEZ, JOHNSON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 12/23/2011 at 16:41:55

September 2, 1918 --- December 21, 2011

William F. “Bill” Clark, 93, of Mason City, formerly of Clarion passed away Wednesday, December 21, 2011, at Good Shepherd Health Center in Mason City. Funeral services for Bill Clark will be held on Tuesday, December 27, 2011, at 11:00 AM at the Holmes Baptist Church in Holmes with Pastors Doug Love and Tom Lee officiating. Burial will be at Hillsdale Cemetery in Madrid at 3:30 PM on Tuesday. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 27, 2011, from 9:30 – 11:00 AM at Holmes Baptist Church.

Bill was born September 2, 1918 to William and Anna (Earp) Clark in Des Moines. He graduated from Madrid High School in 1935. Upon graduation, Bill began working at a local hardware store until he was drafted during World War II. He served in the Army Air Corps as an air traffic controller in the South Pacific and was stationed in Guam, New Guinea, and Tinian. He was united in marriage to Mary Jane Buss on August 18, 1940 in Wick, Iowa. To this marriage three children were born. After his discharge from the military, Bill worked many years as a traveling salesman. He later worked part time at Willim Funeral Home.

Bill loved to grill. His specialty was cooking ham on his rotisserie grill. In his younger years, Bill enjoyed hunting and fishing. Later in life he enjoyed maintaining his flower garden and watching the birds. Bill was known for his sense of humor and love of his family. His grandchildren adored him. One of his memorable life experiences was attending the Capital One Bowl in 2005 where Iowa beat LSU on the final play of the game. Bill was an active member of Holmes Baptist Church where he served many years as a deacon and as a Sunday school teacher. Bill would say that the most important day of his life was when he committed his life to Jesus Christ. Every aspect of his life was impacted by that decision.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 71 years, Mary Jane Clark of Mason City; his children Carolyn (John) Rumley of Mediapolis, Susan (Tom) Lee of Maxwell, and Dr. David (Abby) Clark of Mason City; grandchildren Amy Rumley, Ann (Mike) Speers, Deb (Jon) Hartgers, Michelle (Ryan) Carstensen, Mark (Laura) Lee, Nathan Clark, Anna Clark, Leah (Jose) Velez, and Elizabeth Clark; and 13 great-grandchildren, along with numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, and one sister, Pauline Johnson.

Ewing Funeral Home - Clarion, Iowa
http://www.ewingfh.com/obituaries.php?id=307