George Leslie Clark

Age 85, of Manhattan Beach, California, died on Saturday October 15, 2011 of cancer. He was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania on December 8, 1925 to the late George Dewey Clark and Kathryn Alexander Clark. He served with the U.S. Army in World War II, before returning to college on the G.I. Bill. After earning a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois, he worked as a physicist for Ramo Wooldridge, Space Technology Laboratories, and TRW for a combined 34 years. A prolific inventor, he was awarded 27 patents for high technology products and was the inaugural winner of the prestigious Simon Ramo Award for Innovation. During a long and active retirement he kept busy with Omnilore (a learning-in-retirement group) and "Tech Club" (a monthly meeting of retired TRW scientists). His hobbies included traveling, painting, organ playing, gardening, and political writing, including frequent letters to the editor of the Daily Breeze and a book titled Stealing Our Votes, which demonstrated that the computer software he developed would make it possible to completely eliminate politics from the drawing of Congressional districts. He is survived by his children: George Clark, Jr., David Clark (Charlotte Shales-Clark), and Tricia Alexander, grandchildren: Megan Casey, Ann Clark Potenzone (Chad), Kristy Casey, Kathryn Clark, Kimberly Shales, and Kathy Clark. He is also survived by his sister, Marjorie Gordon, and his beloved companion, Barbara Steadman Johnson. He is preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Mary Lou Clark, and his sister, Carol Siewers Graham. Friends will be received Monday October 24th from 5 pm to 8 pm at White & Day Mortuaries, 3215 Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday October 25th at 10 am at St. Cross by the Sea Episcopal Church, 1818 Monterey Blvd., Hermosa Beach. Burial will follow at Green Hills Memorial Park, 27501 S. Western Ave., Rancho Palos Verdes.