Our father, John Wayne Clark, was born September 21st, 1948, to Margaret and June Clark in Miles City Montana.
Dad grew up in Forsyth, Montana and enjoyed a rambunctious childhood, raising hell with his siblings, Boy Scouts, playing baseball and countless other precocious pastimes. After briefly attending school at Miles Community College and playing baseball at Eastern Montana College in Billings MT, dad worked for Super America where he wooed our mother, Eileen Minette, during a flirtatious encounter while pumping gas.
After their marriage in December 1970, they moved around Montana for a few years as he managed various Super America stores. They finally settled in Miles City, MT in 1976 where they raised a family of five kids, Sam, Wade, Matt, Marco and Katie. He provided us with an adventurous childhood hunting, fishing and backpacking in the mountains. He stressed the importance of family and treating everyone with respect; attributes that shaped both his and our lives. As our father, we understood his proudest accomplishment was raising us and watching us and his grandchildren thrive.
Our dad was a beloved fixture in the communities of Miles City, Montana, and later Alsea, Oregon, where he and mom moved in 1999 after retiring from Holiday. Our dad was loved by the members of these communities. His favorite pastime was “BS’n” with folks, whether they were old friends or new acquaintances. He accepted people for who they are, regardless of whether he agreed with them or not.
In the weeks before dad passed, he greatly appreciated the company of the many family and friends that visited at his home in Alsea. We are so grateful for the love and kindness so many of you have shown our father. He loved you all dearly. Our dad passed peacefully in his sleep on the morning of June 1st, 2023.
Dad had great love for his family and will be greatly missed by his brothers and sisters, Marvin, Jimmy, Marie, Judy, Lavina, Tim, and Rhonda, his children Sam, Wade, Matt, Marco, and Katie and by all of his grandchildren.