Robert Russell “Russ” Clark, 96, Hays, died Monday, December 14, 2020, at HaysMed.
He was born June 17, 1924, in Ness City, the son of John Kelly and Blanche (McClure) Clark. Russ was raised on a farm in Ness County and as a young man, about 12 years old, delivered newspapers on his pony Spunky. During high school he worked at Baer and Kohl Pharmacy and Stevenson’s Menswear. He was a graduate of Ness City High School in 1943 and later attended Kansas State University. During WWII, he served in the United States Navy on the destroyer escort USS Farquhar in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
On July 22, 1950, he was united in marriage to Dora Lou Lamer at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in Hays with her brother, Rev. H.B. Lamer, Jr. officiating. They celebrated nearly 68 years of marriage before she preceded him in death on June 23, 2018. From 1950 until 1962 he worked at the Lamer Hotel and beginning in 1963 was co-owner of The Village Shop, where he worked until his retirement in 1990. His memberships included St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Hays American Legion Post #173, Hays VFW Post #9076, ISIS Temple in Salina, Sigma Phi Epsilon at Kansas State University, and a charter member of Smoky Hill Country Club.
Survivors include three sons: Steven Clark of Brooklyn, NY, Patrick Clark of Overland Park, KS and Robert Clark and wife LaiLing of Brooklyn, NY, three daughters: Lynn Burke and husband Michael of Galveston, TX, Cindy Maddux of Randolph, KS and Sara Clark of Port Orford, OR, and five grandchildren: Russell Maddux, Dora Leigh Maddux, Ava Clark, Meredith Clark, and Lola Clark.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Dora Lou, three brothers: Pat, Franklin, and Charles Clark and four sisters: Cleo Vogel, Cloyd Clark, Lydia Funk, and Jeanne Cardon.
A private family funeral service and inurnment will be on Friday, December 18, 2020, at the Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery in WaKeeney.
Memorials are suggested to St. Michael’s Episcopal Church or to Shriners Hospitals for Children for the Pediatric Burn Center, in care of Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home. Condolences and memories of Russ may be shared with the family at www.haysmemorial.com