Newton Falls — William J. “invoice” Mr. Clark, who served as an educator for 38 years in various roles, passed away on Friday, November 17, 2023, at his home.
He was born Aug. 5, 1926, in Warren and graduated from Braceville High School in 1944. His beloved wife, Glenda, met Colton during his junior year and a loving lifelong partnership began soon after.
Bill entered active duty in the U.S. Navy on July 1, 1944, the same day Glenda began working as a member of the B-29 bomber crew. Dr. Clark’s service included a stint on the minesweeper USS Vigilance AM 324, and he was awarded the American Campaign, Asia-Pacific Campaign, and World War II Victory Medals.
Bill and Glenda were married on October 29, 1944, during the war. They have 17 descendants, including two children, Cheryl Clark of Sheffield Lake and Jim (Rita) Clark of Brecksville. four grandchildren, Kirk (Lisa) Risseler of Bay Village, Kari (Kirk) Maggio of Glen Arm, Md., Tracy Clark Mora (deceased) and Kim (Ted) Wypasek of Strongsville; 10 great-grandchildren, Mia, Lexi, Julia and Nick Mora of Parma, Dom Maggio and Daniel Maggio of Glen Arm, Md., and Kayla, Sean, Justin and Brayden Wypasek of Strongsville; and their first great-grandson, Leo Ricci of Parma.
Bill was predeceased by his parents, Harry and Lulu Clark; her sister Doris DeForest and her husband Bob; and his brother Bob and his wife Isamae.
After being honorably discharged from the Navy, Dr. Clark returned to Baldwin Wallace College in Berea to earn his degree, graduating in 1948. His educational career began at Clearview High School in Lorain and included stints at his six schools and his two schools in northern Ohio. He will be active in the university as a coach, teacher, and administrator. He was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship as a teacher. As a coach, he won baseball titles at Clearview High School and Painesville Riverside High School, and basketball championship titles at Bay Village High School, Mansfield (Pa.) State University, and Baldwin-Wallace. Ashtabula High School, where he was awarded the Certificate of Excellence in Teaching by the state as principal, his 1963-1964 Mansfield State basketball team, his 2000 20th Century team was selected.
Bill has been recognized for his leadership in various organizations and has served as president of the Cuyahoga County Basketball Coaches Association, Ohio Athletic Conference Basketball Coaches, and Pagosa (Colorado) Fire Protection District Committee. He serves as vice chairman of the Ashtabula Regional Intermediate Management Association and the Archuleta (CO) Water Company Board of Directors. He also served as a member of the UPI Small College Basketball Rating Board, a consultant for the Ohio Department of Education, and a member of the Ohio High School Athletic Association State Athletic Committee. Mr. Clark was appointed director and master sergeant of the Naval Mine Warfare Association (NMA), and in 2014 was appointed editor of the organization’s periodical, Silent Defenders. He served as the NMA as national president, pastor, and conference coordinator until member mortality forced its closure.
Bill was honored by being inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at Rabelais High School and Mansfield (Pa.) University. He received the Golden Deeds Award from the Greater Cleveland Basketball Coaches Association. He was named a special director by the Colorado Association of Special Districts in 2004. In 2021, Bill was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame, honoring the Clark family’s lifelong contributions to various communities, making him one of only six individuals from Lorain County in history to be inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.
The Clarks partnership has been publicly demonstrated in a variety of ways. Glenda was the Bills’ game photographer and NMA magazine photographer throughout her college coaching career. They were both on the board of the Echo Fire Protection Committee, which brought fire protection to Colorado neighborhoods. They were co-chairmen of the Community United Methodist Church’s banquet group, a project that turned wild blue spruce into Christmas wreaths, with net proceeds supporting numerous organizations in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. With their World War II backgrounds, they were happy to serve as co-chairs of Archuleta County’s highly successful effort to help fund the World War II Memorial in Washington, DC. Not only did they graduate from Braceville High School together, but they also graduated from Ohio State University again in 1973. Glenda earned her master’s degree and Bill earned his Ph.D.
Bill Clark served as an elder at Westlake Church of Christ, First Church of Christ in Ashtabula, and Washington Avenue Church of Christ in Illyria.
Funeral services will be held at noon on Tuesday, November 21, 2023 at the James Funeral Home in Newton Falls with the Rev. William L. McFadden officiating. Telephone reception hours are from 10:30am. Until noon.
Bill will be buried next to his wife Glenda in the Braceville Cemetery in Braceville.
The family requests that all donations be made to the Stockton Maritime Museum, 4290 Cherokee Rd., Stockton, CA 95215, toward the restoration of USS Lucid.
Arrangements have been entrusted to James Funeral Home, 8 East Broad St., Newton Falls, OH 44444 (330)872-5440.
Family and friends may view his obituary online or wish to send condolences by visiting www.jamesfuneralhomeinc.com.
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