Byron Barr Clark

Byron Barr (“BB”) Clark, a WWII veteran and retired Eastern Airline pilot, “slipped the surly bonds of earth” for the final time when he passed away on October 29, 2016, after suffering a heart attack at Boswell Hospital in Sun City, Arizona. He was 93. Byron is survived by his loving spouse Sara (Berg) Clark, sister Patty Engle, seven children (and spouses), twelve grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Byron was preceded in death by his first wife and mother of their seven children, Patricia (Cloney) Clark (aka Grammy), his parents Helen (Barr) and Homer Clark, sister Virginia Clark, brother Homer, and many cherished friends.

Byron was born in Washington, PA on March 26, 1923. In 1942, at the age of 19, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps where he “loved airplanes from the first flight.” Byron received flight training at five different airfields in the US. On the 1st of January, 1944, he flew a shiny new B17 Flying Fortress to Scotland (by way of frigid Goose Bay, Labrador).

From Scotland, Byron’s group made their way by train through the blacked-out English countryside to southern England. Byron was assigned to the Mighty Eighth Air Force, 41st Combat Wing, 379th Group, 524th squadron, which was based at a small airfield in Kimbolton, England. With nine crew members, ”BB”(so named by his crew) co-piloted 33 bombing raids over N. Germany and France from January 1944 through July 1944, including D-Day, with no loss of crew personnel (a miracle).

After WWII, Byron served as a test pilot stationed at the Landing Aids Experiment Station in Arcata, California, where he and others explored ways to land safely in the dense fog. He was honorably discharged from the Army on the 18th of January, 1947 having been awarded the WWII Victory Medal, European Theater Operations Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, American Theater Ribbon, and the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters.

While stationed in Arcata, Byron met Patricia and they were married in November of 1947 in San Francisco, CA. In 1950, when the Experiment Station was shut down, Byron started his 33 year career with Eastern Airlines. Byron and Pat moved to Watchung, NJ and while their kids grew up (Philip, Cameron, Scott, Thomas, Christopher, Lisa and Amy), Byron flew in and out of NY area airports, taking passengers all over the Eastern seaboard and as far away as Lima, Peru.

After retiring, Byron and Pat spent summers traversing the United States and Canada in their RV, visiting National Parks, their children, and grandchildren. A number of years after Pat passed away, Byron met a lovely woman aviator at a Retired Eastern Pilots Association dinner and they married in March, 2004. He and Shari enjoyed living in Sun City while spending summers in the cooler climate of northern AZ.

During his retirement years, Byron enjoyed building and flying radio controlled airplanes. It’s fortunate that the only planes he ever crashed were small and piloted only by a plastic Woodstock toy. He also enjoyed bicycling, even up to a month before he left us.

Byron had a memory like a steel trap and loved to learn. He possessed an endless curiosity – you name it and he could tell you something about it, or ask smart questions. Byron could fix just about anything (which came in handy with seven rambunctious children). He memorized and could recite many poems, such as, A Soldier Died Today, Desiderata, The Raven, and, a family favorite, The House Behind the House. He often favored his pals at the monthly Quiet Birdmen (QB) meetings with a poetry recitation or a racy joke.

Byron was a devoted husband, supportive, inspiring father and grandfather, and a true friend. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him as a man who was a true patriot in every sense of the word - steadfastly loyal to his country, family, and friends, and who always had a kind word or a helping hand.

A memorial service with military honors will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at Sunland Memorial Park, Sun City, AZ.

High Flight

By John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds, and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of -- wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air...

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace

Where never lark or even eagle flew --

And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.