Mack R Clark

Mack Rea Clark, age 89 of North Richland Hills, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus, July 9th, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. Mack was born March 19th, 1935 to Bud and Ina Vey Clark in Haskell County, Rochester Texas. Mack was the youngest of his family and had three older sisters who doted on him. He grew up in Rochester helping his dad at the grocery store he owned and ran in town. Mack’s eyes lit up when he talked about being at the grocery store as a boy and cutting off a piece of fresh bologna or getting a coke and some candy and eating it on the spot, but he was always sure to tell his dad. He delivered groceries to some of the older folks in town, and before he left to deliver them, his dad told him when he delivered the groceries, to stay and talk to them a little while because they get lonely and needed a visit. So, he listened and learned.

Mack had many gifts, and one was his likability. His good looks, mild demeaner and charm didn’t hurt either. Mack did well in school. In the first grade the principal came and got five of the kids and moved them to second grade. Mack was one of them. Consequently, he went to college when he was barely seventeen years old. Some of his classmates were much older, coming back from serving in the military. In high school he played quarterback and receiver, and was an exceptional athlete. Mack said that they were a small team but fast, and able to beat much bigger teams. His speed and talent didn’t go unnoticed. Abilene Christian College, in 1952, gave him a half track, half football scholarship. After a medical exam, his back kept him from playing football, so they gave him a full track scholarship to ACC. He had world class speed and flew all over the nation to run and track meets. He still holds the record at ACU in the 220-yard low hurdles. While at ACC, he held the fastest time in the nation in the 220-yard low hurdles with 23.0 seconds. If you wanted to get Mack talking, you’d just ask him about track and he’d be off and running.

Mack met Shirley Cox at ACC the first day she was on campus in the fall of 1954 while she and some friends were walking home from College Hill Church on Sunday. They began dating and married on July 7th, 1956. Christi came along in June of 1957. Mack worked at Humble Oil in Abilene. They moved to Fort Worth in 1958. Brad was born in July 1959. As Shirley was home pregnant with Brad, Mack and Christi (then 2 years old) attended the first meeting of the Pipeline Road Church of Christ in Shirley’s parents, Bill and Loretta Cox’s garage on April 26, 1959. Mack was a faithful charter member of Pipeline Road and Legacy Church of Christ where Shirley still attends. Mack served as a deacon for several years, and he loved his church family. Then Mack began to work for his father-in-law Bill Cox in the automobile business. After several years, he went to work as a salesman for a home builder in Irving. Soon, he advanced to having a subdivision on his own, and started building as an associate partner in Arlington. He continued to build for over 40 years with much success and many happy customers with his own company. Mack was loyal to his subcontractors, paid them well, and they would do anything to please him. He included his son, son-in-law and grandson in the building business.

Mack became a PawPaw in 1979 with the birth of Cam, then Cassady, Brady, Bryan and Codi. He loved them all dearly. Many of their memories center around weekends and holidays at Possum Kingdom Lake. Mack and Shirley made sure they all had fun. PawPaw and Granna rarely missed a sporting event the grandchildren participated in, and there were a lot of events. Mack became a volunteer coach at Fort Worth Christian in his seventies, and taught many athletes to hurdle, including Bryan and Codi. As his grandchildren married, their spouses became like grandchildren to him. Over the past eleven years, they have been blessed with five great-grandchildren he loved as well. Mack is preceded in death by his parents Bud and Ina Vey Clark, sisters Ila Jo Wolf, Hote Davis, Ina Bud White, and his great-grandson Sebastian Clark. Mack is survived by his wife of 68 years Shirley Clark, children Christi (Roy Don) McBroom, Brad (Kara) Clark, grand children Cam Clark, Cassady Clark, Brady (Jennifer) McBroom, Bryan (Melissa) McBroom, Codi (Matt) Kirby, great-grandchildren Lily, Becca and Henry McBroom, Tucker and Gemma Kirby and many nieces, nephews and friends.

A visitation for Mack will be held Wednesday, July 17, 2024 at 1:00 PM at Legacy Church of Christ, 8801 Mid Cities Blvd, North Richland Hills, Texas 76182, followed by a funeral service at 2:00 PM.