John A. Clark, 87, of Hillsboro, died on Sunday, July 22, 2018, at 1:10 p.m. at HSHS St. John's Hospital in Springfield.
Visitation will be held Saturday, Aug. 4, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Bass Patton Dean Funeral Home in Hillsboro. Funeral services will follow, beginning at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with Father Dan Willenborg officiating. Burial will take place at Calvary Cemetery in Nokomis.
Mr. Clark was born March 4, 1931, in Stonington, to James W. and Bertha Agnes (Howard) Clark. He married Lula Mae Herpstreith on May 7, 1955, at St. Louis Catholic Church in Nokomis, and she survives.
He attended schools in Morrisonville, and went on to faithfully serve his country in the U.S. Marine Corps as a Forward Observer during the Korean War era.
Mr. Clark was a farmer, hauled gas, did carpentry work and was employed by the Paris Locker Plant. He lived in Stonington, Morrisonville, Atwater and Hillsboro during his lifetime.
He was a member of St. Agnes Catholic Church; VFW Post 1306, where he served as commander and also commander of the Color Guard for 12 years; American Legion Post 425 in Irving, serving as commander for six years; Montgomery County Farmers Institute, where he served on the board; Montgomery County Farm Bureau, serving as director from 1974 to 1980; director of Montgomery Service Company (FS); and a member of the Veteran's Assistance Commission from 2001 to 2018.
Mr. Clark was a former member and trustee of St. John's Catholic Church until it closed, and helped with Food Bank Meals on Wheels.
He was awarded the Studs Turkel Award for volunteerism in 2004 and the Service to Mankind Award in 2013 while he served as commander of the Color Guard.
In addition to his wife of Hillsboro, Mr. Clark is survived by a daughter, Joni A. Milner of Deerfield, IN; three grandchildren, Franz and John N. Milner and Dana Cordrey; two great-grandchildren, Kameron and Madalyn Milner; six siblings, Joe and Bernard Clark, Monica Grant, Margaret Latimer, Lenora Spencer and Rose Ann Lockwood.
He was preceded in death by a son-in-law, Michael Milner; two brothers; and three sisters.
Memorials may be directed to VFW Post 1306, American Legion Post 425 Color Guard or St. Agnes Catholic Church.
Online condolences to the family may be left at www.basspattondeanfh.com.
