Clark Wayne Smith

Clark Wayne Smith, age 81, of Park Rapids, MN, passed away on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, at the Sanford Roger Meris Cancer Center in Fargo, ND. 

Clark was born on October 24, 1942, in Dover, MN, to the late Clifford and Betty (Schaffer) Smith. He was raised on the family dairy farm and attended rural country school in Elmira, MN, until the 7th grade, and graduated from St. Charles High School. During his junior and senior years, he worked at Wire’s Variety Store and decided he needed vocational training after high school. He enrolled in the Winona Technical College originally wanting to study in automotive or machining, but the classes were full, so he signed up for electronic technician training. After 2 years of training, he was hired by Control Data for 29 years until he was caught up in a massive layoff. He then worked for Midwest Vending for a couple years until he was hired as an electronic technician by Data Card. Clark retired in 2010 after working as a remote technical support person. 

Clark was married to Carol Anderson on May 1, 1965, in Isle, MN, and they purchased their first home in south Minneapolis. As the family grew, they moved to a larger home in Bloomington and then to Lakeville. After retirement, they moved to the lake home they built in Two Inlets, MN in 2010. In his free time Clark was an avid outdoorsman; he enjoyed fishing and hunting in Minnesota, Montana, and Canada, and was a volunteer member of Let's Go Fishing. He also restored several vintage cars over the years, gifting a Ford Fairlane to his grandson and was currently working on a 1960 Impala. He would often go to car shows with the Northern Knights car club. He was also an active member of Calvary Lutheran Church in Park Rapids, MN, where he served as an usher and would go on mission trips to help rebuild. He recently went to Puerto Rico on a mission until Carol told him he was not to get on any more roofs. He was also a volunteer for the local food shelf doing deliveries. 

Clark is survived by his wife of 59 years, Carol Smith; children, Jeff (Paula) Smith, Kristie (Lloyd) Edelman, and Brad (Lisa) Smith; grandchildren, Taylor Edelman and Cooper Smith; and siblings, Dale (Sharon) Smith, Stanley (Vickie) Smith, Lonnie (Rick) Peterson, and Renae Reed; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clifford and Betty Smith. 

A Funeral service for Clark will be held on Saturday, July 13, 2024, at 11:00 am at Calvary Lutheran Church in Park Rapids, MN, with a time for visitation starting one hour before the service and a light lunch following the service. A Celebration of Life will also take place in Lakeville, MN, Sunday July 14, 2024, at 1:00-3:00 pm at Christiana Lutheran Church. The interment will be in a private setting following at Christiania’s East Cemetery.