Clark, John Edwin (1934-2011)

CLARK, MOSLEY, BROWN, PAWLING, LAMBIE, GODWIN, HOWARD, WESTCOT, MAYBORN

Posted By: Shirley Keating - Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/24/2011 at 11:11:28

Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa
December 21, 2011

J. Edwin Clark, West Des Moines

J. Edwin Clark, age 77, died at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines on December 18, 2011. Funeral services will be 11 a.m.Thursday December 22, 2011 at the Crossroad Church in Earlham with burial in Greenwood Cemetery in rural Panora, IA. Visitation will be Wednesday December 21, 2011 at the church from 5 to 8 p.m., where the family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m.

Ed was a nurseryman and involved in landscaping most of his life. He is survived by his wife Connie Clark of Council Bluffs; daughter Cathy (Ron) Godwin of Earlham; daughter Susie (Steve) Howard of Greenwood, IN; son Richard Clark of Panora; daughter Lianne (Ben) Westcot of Solon, IA; daughter Mari (Kyle) Mayborn of Macomb, IL; brother Richard Dean Clark of Mesa, AZ; 13 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife Barbara Clark; parents Edwin and Florence (Mosley) Clark; brother Frank Clark and great-grandson Ethan Godwin.

__________________________

KUHN FUNERAL HOMES
Dexter Redfield Earlham
www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com

In Memory Of J. Edwin Clark Age 77
Born August 8, 1934 - Rural Moravia, Iowa
Died December 18, 2011 - Des Moines, Iowa

FUNERAL SERVICE
11:00 AM Thursday December 22, 2011
Crossroad Evangelical Free Church
Earlham, Iowa

Greenwood Cemetery
Rural Panora, Iowa

John Edwin Clark (Ed) was born on August 8, 1934 during a drought on a farm near Moravia, Iowa to Keith and Florence Mosley Clark. His parents always said Ed was the only crop they had that year. He grew up on farms in the Moravia and Albia area with two brothers, Frank and Dean, and lots of cousins. He loved rural life with its many opportunities to cultivate crops and raise livestock—even showing a Grand Champion Dairy Heifer. He was active in 4-H, baseball and basketball. He graduated from Moravia High School and attended Iowa State in Ames where he met and married Barbara Brown.

After college he worked for Braniff Airlines and the Polk County Extension Service. In 1961 he and Barb purchased Rosehill Nurseries in Panora where they raised five children--Cathy, Susie, Rick, Lianne and Mari--to enjoy hard work and nurturing every sort of living thing. The nursery was 100 acres of heaven for five active kids and countless others who felt at home around their table, including foreign exchange students: Michiya, Ulla, Lone and Megumi. Over the years Ed welcomed 13 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren into the Clark family. Ed poured his heart into numerous church, community and business organizations.

Each summer he would load the entire family in a re-vamped nursery van and head out on a camping trip, usually to the Nurseryman's Convention. After the kids were grown, they did what everyone does--they remodeled the kitchen and took REAL vacations. Ed enjoyed visiting relatives back home (Albia) and going on family picnics to the Ledges and Springbrook. Delivering poinsettias to shut-ins was an important Christmas tradition. Ed was relentless about snow removal, working into the wee hours making sure all the neighbors could get out of their driveways.

In 1980, Barb passed away after a 2-year battle with cancer. Later he married Carol Pawling. Several years later he married Connie Lambie. They lived in Panora and later in Lincoln, NE. He passed away on December 18, 2011 at Iowa Methodist Hospital from heart failure.

He is survived by his widow, Connie. Brother: Dean Clark, Mesa AZ;sister-in-law Barbara J. Clark of Mesa, AZ Children: Cathy (Ron) Godwin, Susie (Steve) Howard, Richard Clark, Lianne (Ben) Westcot, and Mari (Kyle) Mayborn, 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by wife, Barbara; parents, Florence and Keith Clark; brother, Frank Clark; great-grandson, Ethan Godwin.