John Calvert Clark's Obituary
John Calvert Clark went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, December 7, 2019. He was born at home on July 6, 1926 to James A.D. Clark and Edith M. Clark in Hannah, North Dakota. His family moved from the Dust Bowl to Tacoma in 1933 looking for better times where his parents bought property in southeast Tacoma. His father built the family home himself from used lumber and they raised their three children there. His mother lived there all her life until she moved into a nursing home.
John was drafted by the Army but still managed to graduate from Lincoln High School in 1945 just in time to serve his country during WWII. He was spared front line duty due to his typing ability in high school and was assigned the title of clerk in Japan to document the atrocities of the war. However, he did not see any action because the war had just ended when he made it over to Japan. After a brief stay overseas he was shipped back to the States and worked at the Port Ord base in California for the next year.
After he was discharged from the Army he worked for Monarch Door in Tacoma and then joined the Tacoma Fire Department in 1952, where he worked until his retirement in 1982.
His little sister thought he would never get married so she set him up on a blind date with Harriet Schuenke. After a year of courtship and a few stipulations from Harriet, she agreed to marry him and they were wed June 14, 1957.
Their first bouncing bundle of joy was a boy – David John Clark. Two years later he had a sister – Suzanne Carol (Clark) Thorne. Jack, as his friends called him, took an additional job painting at St. Joseph Hospital so Harriet could stay home to take care of their little family. She slowly eased back into working when Suzanne was old enough to go to school and eventually Jack was able to work just one job as a fireman. Throughout the children’s growing years there were many family vacations and holidays spent together, many of which included Jack’s mother. Jack was an avid hunter and fisherman and always found time for his deer and elk hunting trips and steelhead fishing trips. Suzanne always accompanied him on his deer hunting trips from the time she was old enough at twelve. Jack also bowled on a league for the fire department and was active in helping out at Concordia Lutheran School, where his children both attended. His various roles there were as a temporary bus driver, painter and window repairman.
The kids eventually left home and started their own families and then they became active grandparents, and later great grandparents. They spent as much time as they were able with their grandchildren – even driving to Colville once a year to see Suzanne’s kids after they moved in 2000.
Harriet retired from the Tacoma Public Schools in 1986 and they then began their vacation-filled golden years. They were very active in a church organization called “Laborers for Christ” where they worked on building 10 new churches in Texas, California and Washington. This was a treasured time of their lives where Jack saw faith firsthand and grew very close to his Savior. In addition to their missionary trips, they went on local camping trips in their trailer as well as traveling overseas to see parts of Europe and Hawaii. They turned into snowbirds, spending their winters in Arizona with their fifth wheel where they often met up with Harriet’s sisters, Verna Berghoff and Ethel Mattson.
Jack’s hobbies included running, ping pong, hunting, fishing, camping and woodworking. Many years found him participating in the Sound to Narrows run. He often played ping pong three or more times a week and was the recipient of numerous Senior Olympic medals for his efforts. In his later years he became a fan of the basketball team, the San Antonio Spurs, and enjoyed watching their games. He also remodeled the family home on 9th Street while both kids were still very young and made much of the furniture that Harriet uses to this day.
Jack was also very active in his church at Zion Lutheran where he often got welcoming hugs from some of the women – even an occasional man! His church family was very important to him and many Sundays would find him transporting someone to and from church. His faith and relationship with his Savior was very important to him and he always remembered his family and friends in his prayers.
John was predeceased by his mother, father, brother, sister and one grandson. He is survived by his wife of 62 years: Harriet Clark; his children: David Clark and Suzanne Thorne; his grandchildren: Jennifer Rollis, Joshua Randall, Christopher Randall, Jordan Clark, Sarah Randall and Brittany Clark; and his great grandchildren: Abigail Rollis and Ashlyn Rollis.
Memorials can be sent to Laborers for Christ at 10733 Sunset Office Drive, Suite 300; St. Louis, MO 63127-1020 or Habitat for Humanity at 4824 S. Tacoma Way; Tacoma, WA 98409.
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