Marion Lewis Clark

Marion Lewis Clark, of Fort Wayne, IN, age 92, husband of Mary Bridenthal Clark, passed away peacefully with family at his side on Sunday, November 26, 2023 at Parkview Hospice Randallia Hospital. He was born June 2, 1931, in McCrory, Arkansas, the son of Alonzo Durward Clark and Wilma Gibson Clark.

He and Mary married on September 24, 1955. Mary passed before him on November 24, 2021. Survivors include their four children Michael (Shari) Clark of Jacksonville, FL; Melissa (Thom Albright) Stout of Fort Wayne, IN; Robert (Lynn) Clark of Savannah, TN and James (Becky) Clark of Katy, TX. He is also survived by six grandchildren, Kyle Clark, Brittany (Dr. Harrison) Stubbs, Alexa Clark, Dr. Trisha Clark, Hannah (Garrett) Diehl and Emma Clark. In addition, he is survived by two sisters-in-law, Sara Sanders of St. Louis, MO and Robbie Riley of Little Rock Ark as well as his brother-in-law, Al Waldo of Conroe, TX, and sister-in-law, Shirley Clark of Cabot, AR and very dear family friend, Heath (Holly) Yohe. Three brothers preceded him in death, Durward Clark and wife Madeline, Charles Clark, and Robert Clark as well as one sister, Carolyn Waldo.

For many years, he played city league baseball. After graduating in 1949 from North Little Rock High School, North Little Rock, Arkansas, Marion worked for Southern Farm Bureau Insurance Co. and played the French horn with a dance band composed of former high school band members. He then entered the U.S. Marine Corps in 1950, serving in Korea with the 1st Marine Division from September 1951 to May 1952. After his return, he attended Little Rock Junior College (now the University of Arkansas/Little Rock) with a football scholarship and graduated in 1955. He was commissioned a 2nd Lt. in the Arkansas National Guard in 1956 where he served as the Medical Supply Officer for the 148th Evacuation Hospital. After college, he was hired by Western Auto as assistant manager in Grand Prairie, TX. He was later promoted to Wholesale Sales Manager and returned to Arkansas.

He co-owned Mid America Paint Company in Memphis, TN, selling it in 1987. He then began a rep agency and co-owned Best Buy Lumber Company in Searcy, Arkansas. He fully retired in 1999, when he left North Little Rock and moved to their farm in Northeast Indiana. He received a kidney transplant in 2003 and was able to resume gardening, golf, and the other activities he enjoyed.

Marion was a member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Ft Wayne, Indiana. Formerly, he was part of the Premise Keepers at Angola UMC, Angola, IN and helped found and worked in the Soup Kitchen at Angola UMC. He loved to play golf, playing as often as possible with a group at Country Meadows Golf Club in Fremont, IN. He had served on the board of the Angola Historical Society and worked many hours at the Cline Museum. He was a skilled woodcarver as well as an artist and musician.

He was a wonderful husband, kind and compassionate. He was a wonderful father and deeply loved by all his children and grandchildren. He will be mourned and missed by all.

Special thanks to Parkview Hospice, Candace and Regina at Senior 1 Care of Fort Wayne for the excellent care provided to him.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at Aldersgate United Methodist Church 2417 Getz Rd, Ft. Wayne, Indiana 46804. The visitation will be from 12:30pm – 2:00pm at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Matthew 25, Community Humane Shelter of Steuben County, Honor Flight of Ft. Wayne or Aldersgate United Methodist Church.

Fond memories may be shared at www.domccombandsons.com for the family.