Thomas J. Clark

Thomas Joseph Clark, 83, passed away Wednesday, October 12, 2022 peacefully with his family at his side and in his last days exhibited the same positivity, courage, grace and humor that epitomized his entire life.

A funeral mass will be held at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in West Des Moines at 11 a.m. on Thursday, October 20, 2022, with visitation from 10 a.m. until service time. Burial will follow the mass at Resthaven Cemetery. Please join the family at Des Moines Golf & Country Club for a luncheon immediately following the services.

Tom was born in Algona, Iowa, on March 1, 1939 to Harold and Juanita Clark of Bancroft, Iowa. Tom grew up in Bancroft, working at his parents’ local newspaper and town parks department. He graduated from St. John’s Catholic High School where he was a pitcher and outfielder for the St. John’s “Johnnies” who won two Iowa State Baseball Championships during his high school years. He earned a business degree from the University of Iowa where he was an active member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

After graduation, he spent the first half of his career in management for the Chevrolet division of General Motors and the second half as a Financial Advisor and Senior Vice President with Merrill Lynch in Des Moines, Iowa.

Tom was a member of the Golden “K” Kiwanis, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and the Des Moines Golf & Country Club. A lifelong golfer, Tom started to play when he was only 6 years old.

The second of five children, Tom was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Jim and Dick. Those left to cherish his memory include his wife of 58 years, Joni of Urbandale; two sons, T.J (Alicia) of Austin, Texas and Grant (Kalan) of Urbandale; five grandchildren, Anna, Ellen, Lucas, Paulina and Tommy; and two sisters, Jan (Jerry) Lancelot of Niles, Michigan and Mary (Roy) Cacciatore of Freeport, New York.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Tom’s memory to Parkinson’s Place Iowa, 901 57th St. West Des Moines, Iowa 50266 or On With Life, 715 Ankeny Road, Ankeny, Iowa 50023, which assists Parkinson’s patients.

The family wishes to extend its heartfelt gratitude for Suncrest Hospice and the nursing staff at Deerfield Senior Center for their excellent care of Tom.