Millard Clark Thompson

Clark was born to Millard and Bernice (Hecker) Thompson on February 25, 1950, in Columbus, Nebraska. He was the second of five children, preceded by brother Lann and followed by Julie, Todd and Marti. Clark graduated from Columbus High School in 1968, and with a football scholarship continued his education at South Dakota State University, receiving a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1973. While beginning his career, Clark continued studies at the University of Kansas, receiving a M.S. in Environmental Health Engineering in 1976.

Clark joined Larkin & Associates, a Kansas City based engineering consulting firm in 1973. Over his 46-year career he specialized in design and management of dozens of water and wastewater projects, as well as municipal pools and fountains in Missouri and surrounding states. He became president of the firm in 1992, leading Larkin & Associates through good times and more trying times, eventually overseeing Larkin’s successful merger with Lamp Rynearson of Omaha, Nebraska, in 2013. Following retirement, Clark was a founding member of American Gondola, an organization devoted to promoting design and construction of gondola transportation systems.

Clark was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Marti and Julie, and brother Lann. He is survived by his wife Betty, son Ben (wife Terri, sons Derrick [husband Sam], Styles and Taran) and daughter Emily Sanders (husband Jason, sons Graham, Waylon and Maverick) of the Kansas City area. He is also survived by his brother Todd (wife Beverly, daughters Sansa Hauger [husband Kevin], Misha Roth [husband James, daughters Tenley and Tamzin] and Tasha Doughten [husband Aaron] of South Dakota; Lann’s wife Marsha of Indianapolis, sons Christopher (daughters Madeline and Sylvia) of Minneapolis, Matthew (wife Keri, children Hannah, Henry and Harper) of Chicago, and Andrew Burd (daughters Alice and Violet) of Nashville; his sister Marti’s daughters Chloe and Brooke Boeschen of Kansas, and his sister Julie’s children Larry Archibald of Iowa, and Katie Stoy of Kansas.

Clark and Betty’s 50 years together were filled with love, adventures and shared pursuits, such as improving homes for their family and others. They took their pastor’s advice to “do lots of things together, like wash the car” to heart. While few cars were washed together, they were often busy renovating homes including four in the Kansas City area. Plus, Clark designed and built decks for many family members. His expertise in home improvement was key to Larkin & Associates’ participation in Habitat for Humanity’s Christmas in October charitable home repair events in the 1980s and 1990s. Clark will be remembered for cherishing family and friends and the elaborate stories shared when we gather to celebrate. Also, ever-the-engineer, he will be remembered for knowing how to design, build, rebuild, fix or assemble just about anything.

The family will hold a private celebration of life after the holidays.

In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association or another charity of choice.