Willis Clark
Willis Clark died on Friday evening at 7:10 p.m. He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two months ago and despite undergoing chemotherapy he succumbed to the cancer on Good Friday. He was only 63 years old. Pastor Greg was there along with his wife Pat, and I was told that he did not suffer.
Here is the obituary that was originally printed in the Tallahassee Democrat on March 23, 2008:
Willis L. Clark, 63, who retired after 36 years of service with Publix Supermarket as a Market Manager and Meat Cutter, died Friday, March 21, 2008, in Monticello, Fla. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Pat Clark. The service will be at 11 a.m. EDT Tuesday, March 25, at Indian Springs Baptist Church in Tallahassee, with burial at Indian Springs Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday, March 24, at Culley’s MeadowWood Funeral Home, Riggins Road Chapel (850-877-8191). Willis was an active member at Indian Springs Baptist Church. Other survivors include one daughter, Patricia Kelly (and husband Billy); two sons, Marty Clark, Leonard Clark (and wife Sherry); five grandchildren, Hunter Clark, Elizabeth Clark, Meredith Clark, Tyler Clark, and Cody Kelly all of Tallahassee; his mother, Ressie Clark; one sister; and five brothers.”
After work Becks and I headed over to the viewing (wake) for Mr. Willis. The viewing was packed with his family and friends and was held at a funeral home off Riggins Road in Tallahassee. The room they held it in was too small to contain the large crowd and people mingled in the lobby area. His family appeared to be doing as well as could be expected, and Becks and I paid our respects to his widow before heading home. I think Becks thought I was going to cry as we were signing the guest book, but I was able to contain my tears until the ride home alone in my truck.
Willis as the article notes was a fellow church member at Indian Springs Baptist Church. What it left out was that he was a very nice man. I will always remember his smile, it was huge and he had a very firm handshake. He was a good man and was always willing to help someone out. Last summer when he heard that I was planning to line our walkway with bricks and was going to remove the grass by hand with a shovel, he volunteered to help me out. The next day he was there with an ancient sod cutter. I asked if he needed help unloading it, or using it and he said he had it under control. What would have taken me hours to cut out Willis did in minutes. He refused any sort of payment and said it had been his pleasure.
Mr. Clark was also a very good cook. On Wednesday nights he could be found cooking dinner for the congregation in the fellowship hall. One meal everyone looked forward to was Thanksgiving when he would roast some turkeys and set out a spread with all the fixings. Becks and I loved his dressing and I asked him if I could have the recipe. He took me aside and I was expecting to learn the secrets to a great moist, delicious dressing. Instead, he told me with a big smile that he made his according to the back of the Pepperidge Farm package.
Tomorrow is the funeral at 11:00 a.m. and the burial will take place in the church cemetery. I am going to miss Willis.
