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Eugene Edward Clark

1946 - 2017

Eugene Edward Clark obituary, 1946-2017, Salt Lake City, UT

Eugene Clark Obituary

1946 ~ 2017
Eugene Edward Clark, 71, peacefully passed away on Dec 22 in San Diego, CA from cancer, surrounded by his beloved wife and all of his living children and grandchildren. He was our father, grandfather, husband, and our teacher.
Eugene was born on May 16, 1946 in Vale, Oregon to Gene and Viola Clark. The family, with his three sisters Leslie, Lynne, and Stefanie, moved to South
Pasadena, CA where he spent most of his youth. He graduated from South
Pasadena High School where he was a star football player and record breaking runner on the track team. He served for two years in the Central America Mission before entering Brigham Young University on a track scholarship. He left with Bachelors and Masters degrees in Geology, and went on to earn a Geology PhD at University College in London.
On a blind date to Disneyland, he met his cherished wife of 47 years, Joanne Johnson. They were married in the Los Angeles Temple in November, 1970. Over the next 13 years the couple welcomed six children into their home. To them he was always known as "Poppie". They raised their children in Houston, TX, Surrey, England, and Lehi, UT. As a devoted father, he taught his children to appreciate the Earth, to enjoy both academics and athletics, to love each other, and most of all, to serve God.
He spent the first part of his professional career as a Petroleum Exploration Geologist for Exxon. In this, Eugene was a veritable explorer, making trips to over 100 countries including frequent treks into remote deserts, jungles, and plains in Jordan, Iran, Costa Rica, Lebanon, Zaire, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Congo and others. In 1992 he walked away from a successful post as Senior Geophysicist at Exxon to pursue his passion for teaching. For the next twenty years, he served as an inspiring and devoted teacher of physics and earth sciences at Mountain View High School. He lead scores of enriching student trips to Costa Rica. The countless hours he spent preparing famously spectacular object lessons, Mr. Clark gave more to his students than was ever required or asked. He later taught in the Geology Department at Brigham Young University but his heart was teaching high school science. Inspiring a high school student, "creates a scientist" he would often say. The passion he brought to the subject and his ability to captivate an audience, left an indelible imprint on the hearts and minds of his students. He was the master of his craft.
Even those closest to Gene may not have known that he was also called upon by the United States Central Intelligence Agency to act as a covert agent in conjunction with his worldwide petroleum exploration work. The journals he kept of his CIA activity (which he honorably kept to himself for the requisite 20-year classification period) read like an international spy novel. This only-recently declassified dimension of Mr. Clark adds a fascinating additional layer of color and intrigue to a life already full of depth and diversity.
Gene was a man of diverse interests. He took on nothing if it could not be done with his full focus and investment. He was an omnivorous reader, dividing his time between science-fiction, history, science, mysteries, and the classics. He was silver screen savant more familiar with a young Bogart, Grant, or Crawford than with any of today's stars. An avid outdoorsman from his youth, he was an experienced camper, prolific hiker, fisher, and outdoor chef. Over several decades he found peace in maintaining his impressive living collection of award-winning Bonsai trees. He was a builder of things, including his own home in Lehi, UT. His back yard was a marvel to behold. It was completely forged from his own imagination and toil: its undulating green grass, its woodwork footbridge spanning a gentle stream, its fruitful orchard and carefully shaped shade trees.
Mr. Clark was a follower of Jesus Christ. As a member of the LDS church, he served as Branch President, Bishop, as a counselor in the Houston, TX Mission, Spanish Speaking, and as a teacher in various capacities. He spent five of his 71 years of life on full-time missions for the Church. Two years in Central America as a youth, and two more with his wife in the San Jose, Costa Rica Mission from 2012-2014, and again with Joanne in the Neuquen, Argentina Mission from 2016 until being brought home to treat his brain cancer in April of 2017. His final words spoken in public were uttered as a brief, genuine, and forthright testimony that he believed in God, that the gospel of Christ was true, stating simply that that "was all that mattered".
Mr., Brother, Dr., Elder, Bishop, Agent, Poppie, Uncle, Professor Gene Clark will be deeply missed. In life he was a gentleman and a scholar. In death he is our inspiration to be people of faith, purpose, and strength.
Survived by his wife, Joanne Elizabeth Clark; five children: Sarah, Reuben, Emily, Jesse, and David; and grandchildren: Izzie, Aerie, Ike, Zoie, Sean, Ella, Owen, Quinn, Nikki, Brady, Brooke, Drew, Jace, Josie, Jonas, Justus, Atticus and Rosie. Preceded in death by his son Ehren and parents Eugene and Viola Clark.
Funeral services Saturday, January 13, 2018, 11:00 am Lehi LDS Chapel, 150 E 1500 N, Lehi, UT 84043 Gathering of family and friends will preceded the funeral services at 10:00 am Interment, Lehi Cemetery, 1525 N 600 E, Lehi, UT 84043

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Salt Lake Tribune from Jan. 12 to Jan. 13, 2018.

Memories and Condolences
for Eugene Clark

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Michael Cornick

May 3, 2021

I'm so sad to learn this. Eugene Clark was a true Renaissance man. He was also a disciple of Christ. He filled the role of father for me when I really didn't have one. He taught me physics, geology, and was the high school (MVHS '96) film club advisor for me when I started the club. He opened my eyes to Orson Welles, Sergei Eisenstein, and the Marx Brothers. Because of him, I got a graduate degree in film history. He tutored me along the path when I waivered in high school, as he allowed me to be his geology TA, helped me graduate, and even attended my mission farewell. I was fortunate to have him meet my wife and will treasure his friendship and kind influence my entire life. I love teaching because of him and teach now at the university level. Mr. Clark was a master teacher.

January 19, 2018

please accept my heartfelt condolences. may you find comfort from God's loyal love.

January 16, 2018

I love Mr. Clark. I fell in love with physics and earned a degree in physics because of his infectious enthusiasm for science and his incredible teaching ability. God bless him.

Also, I feel like I should be surprised that on top of everything else he was a spy for the CIA, yet somehow I'm not surprised. What a man!

My condolences to his family and loved ones for their loss. Hopefully it helps a little to know how many random high school students' lives were transformed for the better by him.

January 15, 2018

Loved Mr. Clark. He was such a great educator and a committed teacher. He always had a great sense of humor along with an amazingly fast mind. I still remember many of his thoughtful lessons in class.
I graduated in the late 90's and have thought of him and his classes many times since.
The CIA affiliation was a fun detail to learn but not wholly surprising.

Liesel Bendio Potter

January 14, 2018

The best teacher I've ever had was Mr. Clark. I've never had a teacher show the same passion for the subject that he taught, and have it be so completely contagious. He cared for his students deeply, and I couldn't take enough classes from him. And every one of them I learned far deeper than any other subject. To this day I can tell you what kind of minerals are in a particular specimen of granite, or if a rock is slate or shale, or any other manner of rock classification (including remember his jokes about gneiss and schist). I still look up and learn about the earth around me, because he instilled in me an insatiable curiosity and love for geology and the earth around me. I was privileged to go on his Grand Canyon trip twice, and was amazed that he gave so much to his students in terms of going completely above and beyond the call of duty. I made a telescope with a handful of random materials because of the principles we learned in his physics class. In short my life is still all the richer for having known him. I feel it a privilege to have been his student, and I regret that I never got to go back and tell him how much he influenced my life and love of geology.

Tom Doggett

January 13, 2018

Mr. Clark is a huge part of who I am today. He helped focus my love of science from merely the dreams of SF towards practicality and scholarship. He will be sorely missed. I wish him Godspeed.

January 13, 2018

I never officially thanked him for the scholarship he got me. So thank you. I've always looked up to him and can only hope that I become as good a man as him.

Desiree Olsen

January 13, 2018

He was a wonderful, caring teacher. We love Mr. Clark and thank him for the time he gave to teach us about Geology and life! He was a wonderful example and influence.

D Bergeson

January 13, 2018

Mr Clark was a great source of inspiration in many if not all of my engineering projects over the last decade! I would love to find a way to read those CIA journals. I am a big fan of Mr Clark. His memory lives on in the hearts of hundreds and hundreds of his students.

Taylor Ball

January 13, 2018

Everything about Mr. Clark was "larger than life". From his stories of searching for oil in the Middle East to his amazing trips to Costa Rica. He challenged us high school students to really discover the world for ourselves. Of course, we read textbooks for his class, but he expected us to take that and apply it to the real world on so many levels. He would often give us assignments on subjects we hadn't yet learned and would encourage us to figure it out with our other classmates. His walls were littered with sarcastic admonitions including "Suffer little children, and don't come unto me", various Latin phrases, and on his ceiling was the iconic, "I hope to die during one of Mr. Clark's long and boring lectures because the transition from life to death would be so seamless". With his larger than life and experiences, it's no wonder that my classmates and I always joked that he was one of the Three Nephites. I wasn't surprised in the least to read in his obituary that he was actually a CIA covert agent (spy) during his time working for oil.

Thanks, Mr. Clark. You embody so many traits that I hope to emulate. You lived the adventurous life that many of us only dream about. Thank you for trusting us and teaching us.

Erica and John Pheysey-Porter

January 13, 2018

Mr. Clark, Thank you for sharing your love of life, earth, adventure, and compassion with all you came in contact with. My husband and I (MVHS class of '97 and '96) owe our marriage to meeting in your physics class and owe our livelihood (geologists both) to your encouragement. As my husband and I spoke last night about what it was that made you such a profoundly inspirational teacher, the quality we distilled it down to was beyond your Indiana Jones incarnate adventurous side (which no doubt appealed to our youth). What we both found so super-human about you was a sense of compassion- true, deep, personal connection with every student. We mourn the passing of one of the greatest men we have ever known. We send our love to his family.

Jack Rose

January 13, 2018

Very sorry to read of the passing of our dear friend Gene. Our love and sympathy to Joanne and all the family. We have wonderful memories of our days in Houston, Texas and have thought of you often. Unfortunately our paths never crossed in Utah. We are in St. George and will not be able to attend the services today but you'll be in our thoughts and prayers. Our love to you all. Gae and Jack Rose

Addresses:
454 Northridge Ave. St. George, UT 84770
2595 N 140 E #204 Provo, UT 84604
Phone at both addresses: 435-275-8716

Taylor Ball

January 12, 2018

Everything about Mr. Clark was "larger than life". From his stories of searching for oil in the Middle East to his amazing trips to Costa Rica. He challenged us high school students to really discover the world for ourselves. Of course, we read textbooks for his class, but he expected us to take that and apply it to the real world on so many levels. He would often give us assignments on subjects we hadn't yet learned and would encourage us to figure it out with our other classmates. His walls were littered with sarcastic admonitions including "Suffer little children, and don't come unto me", various Latin phrases, and on his ceiling was the iconic, "I hope to die during one of Mr. Clark's long and boring lectures because the transition from life to death would be so seamless". With his larger than life and experiences, it's no wonder that my classmates and I always joked that he was one of the Three Nephites. I wasn't surprised in the least to read in his obituary that he was actually a CIA covert agent (spy) during his time working for oil.Thanks, Mr. Clark. You embody so many traits that I hope to emulate. You lived the adventurous life that many of us only dream about. Thank you for trusting us and teaching us.

Julia DuBois

January 12, 2018

So sorry to hear of his passing. He was a great teacher, I loved learning Geology from him. My condolences to his family!

Amy Duffin

January 12, 2018

I am so sorry for your loss. Mr Clark was an amazing high school teacher! I loved how he taught, his funny quotes and his passion for what he taught. It was one of the hardest classes I took but he made it so it was one of my favorite. He was a teacher whom I will never forget.

Amber Johnstun

January 12, 2018

I had the privileged of knowing him as Mr. Clark. He was such a force and changed the course of my life. Deepest thoughts and prayers for those who will miss him.

A Richmond

January 12, 2018

I am very sorry for your loss, may the God of Comfort be with your family during this most difficult time.

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Memorial Events
for Eugene Clark

Jan

13

Funeral service

10:00 a.m.

Lehi LDS Chapel

150 E 1500 N, Lehi, UT 84110

Jan

13

Funeral service

11:00 a.m.

Lehi LDS Chapel

150 E 1500 N, Lehi, UT 84110

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