James "Jim" Clark

Born July 13, 1944, to Weldon Alfonso “Bud” Clark and Buna Mae Clark, Jim spent his school years in Bowie, Texas. It was there that he met the love of his life, Janyth Sue Kunkel. With his blond flat top, blue eyes, and good looks, Jim must have made quite an impression. Whatever the secret was, it worked. Jim and Jan went on to share 62 years of marriage, a lifetime built on love, loyalty, family, and adventure.

Jim earned his bachelor’s degree from North Texas State University and spent his career with Moore Business Forms. After retiring, he turned his attention to the things he loved most: the outdoors, the water, and Texas. And Jim loved Texas.

Jim and Jan bought 110 acres in Forestburg, Texas, where he spent his days hunting, fishing, riding his tractor and mountain bike, and enjoying the land. Jim liked to say he needed to be able to see, and in Texas he could see a country mile.

Eventually, another adventure called Jim and Jan east to Wilmington, North Carolina, to be near their daughter, Kim, and son-in-law, Gary. North Carolina introduced this lifelong Texas fisherman to saltwater fishing. Jim gave it his best effort, although according to him, “There are just no fish in this ocean.”

Translation: Jim wasn’t catching much.

He embraced coastal life anyway, managing a fishing club, spending time on the water, and especially enjoying his pedal kayak. Jim was happiest outdoors, doing something, going somewhere, or figuring out what adventure came next.

Jim was also a character and a storyteller. He loved a good story and had his favorites—some of which his family may have heard more than a few times.

He loved playing games, especially dominoes, and there was one thing everyone knew when playing with Jim: there were rules, and the rules were meant to be followed. His insistence on playing the game the right way became part of the fun and part of the memories his family will cherish.

Underneath the stories, adventures, and unmistakable personality was a man who loved his family deeply.

Jim is survived by his wife of 62 years, Janyth “Jan” Sue Kunkel Clark, whom he affectionately called Sweet Pea #1; his daughter, Kim Koster, proudly known as Sweet Pea #2; and Kim’s husband, Gary Koster.

He is also survived by his sister, Sue Clark Garcia, and her husband, Randy Garcia, and their daughters, Staci Taylor and Lindsay Whiteman; his sister-in-law, Juli Goodrum, her husband, Cliff Goodrum, and their sons, Lance, Matthew, Greg, and Collin; his niece, Genevieve Harral; his nephew, Phillip Kunkel; as well as extended family and friends.

Jim’s final years were marked by his battle with Alzheimer’s disease. But Alzheimer’s was only the last chapter of a much bigger story.

Jim Clark’s life was 82 years of loving one woman for more than six decades, raising a daughter he adored, building a successful career, roaming Texas land, hunting, fishing, water skiing, kayaking, playing dominoes, telling stories, making people laugh, and always looking toward the next horizon.

There was only one Jim.

And somewhere beyond that horizon, we’d like to think the view goes for a country mile, the water is calm, and—finally—there are plenty of fish.

Jim’s family will take him home to Bowie, Texas, where so much of his story began, for a Celebration of Life. The date and details will be announced at a later time.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Jim’s memory to the Alzheimer's Association (link below).