Riley Clark Jr.

Riley Ponder Clark, Jr., 83, of Atlantic, passed away Monday, April 9, 2001, at the Atlantic Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.Riley was born May 19, 1917, at Clark Corner, east of Brayton, in Audubon County, the son of Riley P. Clark and Hattie Jane Reed. The family moved to Green Forest, Arkansas in 1923 then returned to Guthrie Center in 1925. Riley graduated from Guthrie Center High School and attended Iowa State University and Tri-State College in Angola, Indiana. On September 3, 1938, he married Virginia Berry in Cameron, Missouri. He was a tool and die designer for the Aluminum Co. of America in Lafayette, Indiana from 1940 until 1946, when he and his wife moved to Lewis. He worked for a short time in the automotive repair business with his father-in-law, then became a Surge milker dealer until 1958. He was an automotive supplies distributor from that time until he retired in 1979. His business remained in Lewis, but the family moved to Atlantic in 1965. His hobby was collecting John Deere toys.He was a member of the United Church of Christ, a fifth-year member of the Masonic Lodge Scottish Rite, Shrine and Eastern Star, and a life member of the Elks. He served as a member of the 4-H Fairgrounds committee, was a member of the Lewis School Board, and worked on the development of Cold Springs State Park.Survivors include his wife, Virginia; a son, Marvin Clark and his wife, Barbara, of El Paso, Illinois; a daughter, Marcia Murray and her husband, Dan, of Lincoln, Nebraska; two granddaughters, Rachel Clarke of Bowling Green, Ohio and Christa Blackledge of Lincoln, Nebraska; one grandson, Ross Blackledge and his wife, Julie, of Riverdale, Utah; and two great-granddaughters, April and Danielle Blackledge of Riverdale, Utah.He was preceded in death by his parents; and infant son, Ross; seven brothers, Ponder, Curtis, Hobart, Thomas, William, Hardy and Benjamin; and six sisters, Ina Mae Clark, Rhea Masching, Ethel Lilley, Leila Bosier, Josephine Sadalia and Helen Creighton.Funeral InformationA memorial service for Riley was held Thursday, April 12, 2001, at 3:00 PM at the United Church of Christ in Atlantic, Iowa with Reverend C. Thomas Ingham officiating.A Masonic graveside service was held on Thursday, April 12, 2001, at 2:00PM at the Oakwood Cemetery at Lewis, Iowa.