Donald Ray Clark

Donald Ray Clark, age 91, was called home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on March 6, 2026, just 10 days before his 92nd birthday. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Monday, March 16, 2026, at First Baptist Church Lone Grove. There will not be a graveside service.

He was born on March 16, 1934, in Dillard, Oklahoma, he was the son of Burley Vernon and Lovie Mae Clark. He married Merlene Horton Clark, the love of his life, on September 16, 1951, and graduated from Wilson High School in 1952.

When he was 9 years old, his church was holding an outdoor revival meeting, and after the evangelist preached on the biblical subject of hell, he realized he needed to give his life to Jesus and trust Him as his Savior. Shortly after that, he followed Jesus in believer's baptism at First Baptist Church, Wilson. It was at Falls Creek, as a young teenager, that he sensed God calling him to be a preacher of His Word and later publicly answered that call by going forward in a service at First Baptist Church, Wilson. It wasn't until 1957, while working in the oil fields in Tatum, New Mexico, that he rededicated his life to Christ and surrendered to preach God's Word. He was licensed to preach in 1957 by the First Baptist Church in Tatum, New Mexico, and was later ordained to the Gospel Ministry in 1958 by Rexroat Baptist Church in Wilson, Oklahoma, where he was the pastor at that time.

He graduated from Murray State College in 1959 in Tishomingo. He was known to say he graduated from MIT- Murray in Tishomingo. In 1961, he graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University while serving as pastor of Dewar First Baptist. In 1962, he began studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary while pastoring Lone Grove First Baptist Church. As a Southern Baptist pastor, missionary, and evangelist for more than 69 years, he and Merlene lived in several areas of Oklahoma and California, and briefly in Sitka, Alaska. They founded Don Clark Ministries and served at evangelistic meetings in Russia, Romania, Ukraine, Brazil, Argentina, Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominica, Mexico, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and Scotland, as well as in 15 states. He had a weekly radio program, "A Moment with the Book," on KQCV in Oklahoma and KVSO in Alaska. Don received numerous awards and accolades from different ministries, churches he pastored, and the many friends he and Merlene made along the way, but the reward he most looked forward to was hearing Jesus say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant," when he entered the presence of Jesus. He often said, "I want to be found faithful in the field until the end"… and he was.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Merlene Clark, daughter-in-law, Lisa K Clark and beloved granddaughter, Candace Anderson Ousley.

Don is survived by son, James Clark (Jackie), son, Joey Clark, daughter, Karen Anderson (Mike), son, Paul Clark (Brenda), daughter, Larissa Clark, a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and other relatives and beloved friends.

Honorary pallbearers will be Chris Anderson, Michael Ousley, Jeff Clark, Shane Clark, Caleb Clark, Cody Clark, and Colin Clark.