Ernest Buck A Clark

The dreadful disease of cancer took the life of Ernest “Buck” Clark, February 3, 2012 at the age of 93. He was preceded in death by his sport enthusiast wife, Molla, his father, mother, five sisters and two brothers. He has left behind his two daughters; Julie Strojia and Peggy Autrey, three grandchildren; Valerie Morrison, Marty Autrey and Marnie Jackson, eight great-grand children and four great-great grand children and several nieces and nephews. His journey began in the sand hills of Seneca, Nebraska in the year 1918. Later the family moved to Arkansas and he grew up on a farm in Bentonville helping his father with a milk route and working in his sister’s restaurant “The Horseshoe Grill”. He graduated from Bentonville High School in 1935. He grew up in a time when Bella Vista was a summer resort with cabins built on the side of the hills, and the young people went to the Wonderland Cave and Noel, Missouri for dancing in the summer nights. Buck joined the Army Air Corp before World War II and met his future wife, Molla, when he was stationed at Williams Air Base in Arizona. He later served as a crew chief in Italy on B-24’s known as the “Liberators”. This love and knowledge that he had for the mechanics of this plane and others stayed with him all through the years. He and his family came back to Arkansas after the war and he helped his older brother; Cactus and others to build the Lakeside Pool and restaurant in Rogers. Buck opened a Gulf Service Station on Walnut Street that was located next to the first Wal-Mart. He would often say how he would go to the Wal-Mart store and pay so much less for the same oil his distributor would be selling. No matter where he went he was

always praising Wal-Mart. In the mid 60’s, he and his family re-located to Southern California and he began working for the government as a quality control inspector with companies that had government contracts. He was perfect for this position since he was a “stickler” for perfection. The greatest project that he would mention was the fuel tanks for the space shuttle.

Before and after retirement, Buck and Molla enjoyed playing golf and traveling all across the country. They eventually re-located back in Arkansas to be near family and friends. They became members of the First Presbyterian Church

and Dad was a proud and active member of the Ozark Military Museum in rebuilding old aircraft. Dad always said that he had had a great life and he has now gone on to his next great adventure. A graveside funeral service was held Tuesday February 7, 2012 at 2:00pm at Benton County Memorial Park in Rogers.

Services are under the arrangement of Callison-Lough Funeral Home, Rogers.