BOURBON – Erik Scott Clark, 71, went to be with the Lord June 23, 2016, with his family holding him in their arms. On May 6, 1945, in Oak Park, Ill., he was born to Dr. Robert B. and Margaret Jane Scott Clark. On June 19, 1971, at the Evangelical United Brethren Church, Bourbon, with Erik’s father, Dr. Robert B. Clark, and the Rev. Ed McClarnon officiating, he married Donna Lynn Miller, who survives. He was a resident of Autumn Ridge Rehab Centre, Auguste Cottage Memory Care Unit, Wabash. Growing up as a Presbyterian minister’s son, he lived in Portland, Madison, Noblesville and Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from North High School, Columbus, Ohio, and attended college at Parsons College, Fairfield, Iowa. He enlisted in the Naval Reserves, then served a two-year tour of duty from 1967 to 1969 and was stationed at Great Lakes Naval Station, Serving on board the USS Coral Sea, he was extremely proud of his service to his country and received an honorable discharge in April 1969. He returned to their family’s Chapman Lake cottage, Warsaw, where he spent many hours on the lake with his boats and working at Penguin Point, North Webster, as a teenager. He began working at RR Donnelleys in April 1969, retiring in May 2007 after 38 years. He was an avid Consumer Reports reader and was often heard saying, “Don’t buy it until I check my Consumer Reports,” words his children, April, Aaron and Alex lived by. He always took April out Christmas shopping, just two of them. Aaron and Erik would watch football together. He shared his love of boating with Alex. In 1969 Erik was introduced to Donna by her childhood best friend, Nina Young, who also worked at RR Donnelleys, and together their journey began. We can never express our love and admiration enough for the amazing, caring staff family at Autumn Ridge Rehab Centre that cared for and loved Erik as their own. We are extremely humbled by the job they do each day. Also surviving are their three children: April (and spouse Eddie) Gibson, Warsaw; Aaron (and spouse Julia) Clark, Roselle, Ill.; Alex (and spouse Liz) Clark, Argos; six grandchildren: Tierra, Eli and Isaiah Gibson; Braeman, Annabel and Lela Clark; two sisters, Roberta Clark (and spouse Roland Ashby Sr.), Dunedin, Fla.; and Chris Clark (and spouse Bob Morrison), Selma, Texas; many nieces, nephews, cousins; an aunt, Emily Brown, Lebanon, Ohio; and two sisters-in-law, Rosie (and spouse Stewart) Snyder, Plymouth, and Gloria Jean Miller, Warsaw. He requested no funeral services, so a celebration of life is planned with light refreshments and shared memories from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday at United Methodist Church, Winona Lake. Deaton-Clemens Funeral Home, Bourbon, is in charge of the arrangements. ***** Memorials may be made to Alzheimers research or service dogs for veterans with PTSD.
