James Thom Clark Jr.

Born in Detroit, Michigan on July 15, 1938, Jim was immensely proud of his immigrant parents: James Thom Clark, Sr. from Aberdeen, Scotland, and Kathleen Humenytskiy from a small village in what is now the western border of Ukraine.

After the family moved to Hialeah, Florida, Jim attended school, enjoyed a carefree youth and, at his father’s behest, joined the U.S. Air Force. Following that service, he returned to Florida and received a degree in American Studies at Florida State University, where he met Mary Elizabeth (Mary Beth) Witte, his cherished wife of 61 years.

Jim’s lifelong thirst for knowledge led to Masters degrees in Urban and Regional Planning and Social Work from FSU, and Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School. These three degrees nourished Jim’s enduring passion for public service.

In the heat of the Vietnam War from 1966-1969, Jim was a foreign service officer with USAID in Tuy Hoa and Saigon working with refugees and NGO’s. He went on to serve as project director for Catholic Relief Services, directing teams of American and Vietnamese social workers and health care professionals at orphanages, refugee camps and villages throughout the country. Mary Beth joined him to work on one of the teams.

After returning to the U.S., Jim worked in various capacities for Florida social services and health care agencies, but one of his happiest and most productive missions came when he was appointed to the cabinet of South Carolina Governor David Beasley as Agency Director of Social Services, where he served through Governor Beasley’s four- year term.

Jim’s commitment to service led the family to volunteer as a “shelter home” for children who could not remain in their own residences. One such youth, Mark, a former Dozier boy, remains a part of the Clark family.

Jim shamelessly bragged about his children and their accomplishments: Henrik Tabel (Hellen), Ned Clark (Lakshmi), Elizabeth Jensen (Chris), and Ian Clark (Jessica). He adored his family and also loved his dogs, his extensive library, and his little house on Dog Island where he could watch old movies, throw his cast net from the dock or take his boat out to the O-Tower to find grouper!

Jim is survived by his wife, Mary Beth, his four children, his 96-year old sister, Dolores (Dee) and nine “absolutely perfect” grandchildren. He will be interred at the National Cemetery in Tallahassee, with a private memorial to follow at a later date.

The family is deeply grateful for the comfort and care provided at YourLife Memory Care Assisted Living where Jim spent his last two years. Big Bend Hospice has been helpful beyond words in Jim’s final year with dementia. The family also appreciates the invaluable assistance of Culley’s Meadowwood for final arrangements.