Donnel Clark

Donnel (Don) Clark passed away January 2 in 2017. He was born on August 4, 1925, in Cross Plains, TX to Jesse Mae (Jake) Adams Clark and Thomas Jefferson (Jeff) Clark and was preceded in death by his parents and three sisters and three brothers and his beloved wife Imogene. He graduated from Cross Plains High School in 1942, where he was active in the FFA, band and other school activities. Upon graduation, Don joined the US Army, serving in France and Germany during WWII. He was blessed by his guarding angel and was evacuated from the Ardennes Forest in Germany the second night of the Battle of the Bulge. After spending several months in Brooke General Hospital in Ft. Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX he was discharged from the service. He attended Tarleton State College in Stephenville and graduated from Texas Tech University in 1949. While in college, he served as president of the Collegiate Chapters of the FFA both at Tarleton and Tech as well as being Vice President of the Senior class at Texas Tech. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture Education and taught school for 4 years in Mullin. Don was then employed by the State Fair of Texas for thirty-seven years, retiring as Director of Livestock. While in Dallas , he served on the Board of Directors of the YMCA, Chairman of Dallas Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee, became a Certified Fair Manager of the International Assn. of Fairs & Expositions, President of the Texas Association of Fairs & Expositions, member of Texas Tourist Development Agency, Athletic Director of Lakeside Baptist Church, and received an Honorary Lifetime Membership from the PTA of the Dallas ISD. For several years, he served as Treasurer of the local Kiwanis Club in Cross Plains and was active in the First Baptist Church. Several thousand dollars were distributed to Texas Tech students from a scholarship at Texas Tech which was supported by friends and the State Fair of Texas. He was also a Master Mason.

He is survived by two sons; Robert Clark and his wife Becky of Houston; Les Clark and his wife Lauri of Dallas; two stepsons, Bill Wimberley and his wife Toni and Gary Wimberley and his wife Janet as well as ten grandchildren: Ashley, Beth, Brian, Cassie, Emily, Garrett, Matt, Michael, Robert, Jr. and Sam, plus three great grandchildren, Austin, Hailey and Issac.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 6 at Higginbotham Funeral Home in Cross Plains, Texas. Burial will follow the service at the Cross Plains Cemetery. The Family will have a time of visitation from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 5 at the Higginbotham Funeral .

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to the Cross Plains Veterans War Memorial or the EMS.
TEXAS HERITAGE BANK CROSS PLAINS
VETERANS MEMORIAL FUND PO BOX 699 CROSS PLAINS TX 76443
CROSS PLAINS EMS PO BOX 597 CROSS PLAINS TX 76443