Jim Clark

Visitation and a chapel service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 4th, 2008, at the Ballard Chapel for Jim Clark of Roswell, aged 89, who died on November 30, 2008. Graveside services will immediately follow at Memory Lawn Memorial Park.

Jim was born on May 18, 1919, in Maysville, OK, to parents Lula Bell Frizzell Clark and James Warren Clark. He was 4th youngest in a family of fifteen children, all deceased. His brothers were Fred, James, Clarence, William, Thurman, Milton, Billy, and Harold, while his sisters were Florence, Eula Pearl, Lezona, Lela, Cassie, and Winona.

Jim Clark arrived in New Mexico more than 70 years ago, coming into the Roswell area as a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps. He had begun training during the Great Depression as a heavy equipment operator, and he was assigned to the unit building levees and dikes as part of the Bitter Lakes Refuge project.

He was a proud Veteran of WWII service in Europe and the Pacific, working as a combat engineer. Upon his return to Roswell, he started his own masonry and stone subcontracting company. While proud of the many projects he built throughout the Southwest, he took great pride in telling his grandkids about the local construction his crews built including Goddard High School, shopping centers, and many others. The grandkids and even some great-grandkids, however, were more impressed by his building the carousel house, train house, and Little League ballpark dugouts throughout town.

Jim married Madeline Collins and began raising a family in Roswell before the war. He remarried following Madelines death and was married to Debbie Massingale for more than 56 years until her death in 2007.

Together, Jim and Debbie raised a family of five children. He is survived by daughter-in-law Lugarda Romero Clark of Albuquerque, son John and Phyllis Clark of Crowley, Louisiana, and daughter Deborah and Frank Ylinen of Saint Helenas Island, South Carolina. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Maureen Klugh Simpson of Clemson, South Carolina. Son Tommy Clark, daughter Linda Clark Womack, and son James O. Clark preceded him in death.

Additionally, he is survived by six grandsons, James Allen Clark, John Clark, Jr., Chris Clark, George Cline, Mark Cline, and Kenny Cline, as well as four granddaughters, Samantha Lewis, Catherine Burns, Kala Cline, and Christine Cline. Two granddaughters, Tabitha Womack and Carol Ylinen, pre-deceased him.

Jim was an avid gardener and grower of grapes and pecans. He collaborated with neighbors and colleagues in this hobby and was working to teach a third generation of gardeners. He and his gardening crew won multiple blue ribbons during last years County Fair for their canned vegetables and produce. Following his retirement from the contracting business, he and Debbie spent many happy weeks traveling in their motorhome and fishing in warmer climates each winter.

As Debbie liked to say about Jim, he is also survived by a passel of 13 great-grandchildren, flocks of cousins, countless in-laws, numerous friends, wonderful neighbors, and favorite fishing buddies. He will be greatly missed by all.

Honorary pallbearers will be longtime friends Sereta Salsman, Raymond Pollard, and Anne Jeff Emmons. Pallbearers will be grandson Johnny Clark, Jr. and close friends Chris Meadows, Marie Meadows, Billy McDaniel, Elisha McDaniel, and Jerry Cannon.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to the Assurance Home for local childrens support.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Ballard Funeral Home. An online registry can be accessed at www.ballardfuneralhome.com
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Visitation

Ballard Funeral Home
910 S. Main
Roswell, NM  88203
Thursday, December 4, 2008
2:00 p.m.

Service

Memorial Service

Ballard Funeral Chapel
910 S. Main St.
Roswell, NM  88203
Thursday, December 4, 2008
2:00 p.m.

Cemetery

Memory Lawn Park
2605 E. 19th Street
Roswell, NM  88201

Memorial Contributions

Roswell Assurance HomeH
1000 E. 18th Street
Roswell, NM  88201