Earl Edward Clark, a longtime, former resident of Benton City, WA passed away on August 12, 2014. He was living at the Tri City Retirement Inn at 2000 N. 22nd Ave. in Pasco, WA. He died from natural causes at age 96. Earl was born August 14, 1917 in Fort Gibson, Oklahoma to Jesse Cleveland and Cora Lee Fisher Clark. He was the second oldest of seven children. Etha born in 1913, Louie 1919, Bill 1922, Elizabeth 1924, Jerry 1927, and Catherine 1929.
Earl Clark met Doris Orlean Moore in Fort Gibson and walked her home from church on Sunday evenings. They were married on February 1, 1940 in Bristow, Oklahoma. Earl graduated from Fort Gibson High School, and attended two years of college at Oklahoma A&M Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK He and Doris worked for Glencliff Dairy of Tulsa OK and worked in a malt shop in Muskogee, and later a store in Tulsa. DuPont hired Earl at the munitions plant in Prior, OK. He moved to Hanford, WA in 1943, where he worked until retiring in 1980. He worked as a Nuclear-Chemical Operator, and Operations Shift Supervisor.
In 1953 Earl and Doris moved the family to Benton City, Washington to a 10-acre farm on Whan Road. In 1964 they moved to "the city." Earl wanted to raise his children on the farm to teach them how to work. The Clark boys vividly remember fixing fence, milking, haying, plowing, disking, harrowing, and irrigating and other chores. He encouraged all the kids to play sports. Earl, Doris and the kids were active members in the First United Methodist Church in Benton City. He worked hard to instill in his family a love of God and family. Earl is survived by Doris Clark, his wife of 74 years; the children: Earl Everett, born July 31, 1942 and his wife Nancy of Pasco, WA; Jimmie Lee, born August 22, 1945 and his wife Carol in Rough n Ready CA; Kenneth Wesley born March 15, 1950 and his wife Teresa in Moscow, ID; and Donald Keith born November 3, 1958 and his wife Dianna in Richland, WA. Eleven grandchildren, four great grandchildren and one great great grandchild also will miss Grandpa Clark's sense of humor and attention. Earl has two sisters who survive him. Elizabeth Guill of Baytown, Texas and Katherine Evans of Indiana Sister, Etha Gladd, and brothers, Louie, Bill, and Jerry Clark preceded him in death. The family will hold a Graveside Service at Sunset Gardens and a gathering afterwards at Events at Sunset, both at 915 By Pass Highway, Richland, WA October 4, 2014 at 1:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers those who wish may contribute to Diabetes Research at https://donations.diabetes.org/site/Donation2?7680.donation=form1&df_id=7680&medium=CPC&sitelink=Memorial&cr=sitelinkmemorial&s_src=memorial&s_subsrc=redcpcg_redcpc&autologin=true&gclid=Cj0KEQjw06GfBRCR9tDI4t6n5_MBEiQAFo6kuIHGxjNGgDCVLtVifPiIPmLoL3g5XQPQM-vtxranN3oaAg8b8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds OR. . . The Tri City Chaplaincy Hospice http://www.tricitieschaplaincy.org/ We celebrate a life well lived. Rest in peace Earl E. Clark. Your integrity, wit, humor, and passion will be missed. Express your thoughts and memories in the online Guest Book at www.einansfuneralhome.com.