John Earl Clark

1933 - 2020

John "Sonny" Earl Clark, 86, of Scenery Hill, passed away Saturday, March 28, 2020, in his home. He was born November 19, 1933, in Claysville, a son of the late John A. and Mary Matula Clark.

Mr. Clark was a 1951 graduate of Claysville High School and attended Washington & Jefferson College.

From 1956 to 1958, John proudly served with the U.S. Army, serving the majority of the time in Karlsruhe, Germany. He was discharged with the rank of private first class (E-3) and served an additional two years each in the Army Reserves and National Guard.

John was employed at Columbia Gas in Brownsville for 38 years until his retirement.

He was a longtime member of the Scenery Hill United Methodist Church and was a member of the Scenery Hill Lions Club. He also belonged to the Warrior Trail Association, Washington County History and Landmarks Foundation, Washington County Historical Society, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association.

Mr. Clark was an excellent marksman, a skill he learned at an early age, shooting with the Frazier-Simplex Rifle Club beginning at the age of 10. He shared his skill, knowledge and passion for shooting by teaching the Frazier-Simplex Junior League classes for many years, and encouraged many young men and women to achieve college shooting team scholarships and national competition awards.

In his early years, John played in Little League and later in the newly formed Pony League, playing beyond his high school years. He also enjoyed hunting, fishing, photography, jazz and classical music, bird watching, travel and gardening. His extensive knowledge of local history was enhanced by his own research of maps, grave markers and obscure sites. He supplemented his reading with personal interviews conducted with interesting elderly folks who remembered long-gone people, events and places and were glad to share their recollections.

On October 21, 1961, he married Iva Lea Bailey Clark, who died January 29, 2018.

Surviving are three children, Celeste Henry (Jeffrey) of Oregon, Douglas Clark and Dwight Clark (Claudia) of New York; five grandchildren, Elya Henry Stinnette, Jadon Henry, Laurissa Bybee, Jenna Henry and Pamela Miranda Ramos; two great-grandchildren, Everly Stinnette and Harrison Henry; one sister, Mary Helen Verderber of Arizona; one niece; and three nephews.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. The John B. Greenlee Funeral Home, 2830 Main Street, Beallsville, has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Warrior Trail Association or the Frazier-Simplex Rifle Club.