Thomas ‘Tom'

Lee Clark

June 2, 1939 — Feb. 7, 2008

Sierra Park resident Thomas "Tom" Lee Clark died Feb. 7 at a Sonora hospital. He was 68.

Mr. Clark was born in Grass Valley. He attended grammar school in Manteca and also attended Modesto Junior College.

In the early 1950s, he and his family built a cabin at the Odd Fellows Sierra Park where the family spent many enjoyable times during the winter and summer months. He worked in sales most of his adult life. He enjoyed people. He married Linda Plaw in 1972 and the next year adopted her two sons. In 1979, he and his wife bought a home in Kailua Kona, Hawaii, where they spent 25 years. He loved deep sea fishing and worked as a deck hand on a variety of Kona's fishing boats. He volunteered in the Annual Billfish Tournament for many years. He was an accomplished scuba diver and enjoyed underwater photography. He entered the 1982 and 1983 Ironman triathlons in Kailua-Kona. He had a small maintenance and repair business in Kona, "The Kona House Doctor," for about 20 years. Mr. Clark joined the Masons, the Shriners, the Royal Order of Jesters and the Elks while living in Hawaii.

The Clarks returned to their cabin in Sierra Park in 2004. He then became a member of East Belt-Tuolumne Masonic Lodge No. 8. He served as master of the lodge in 2007 and became master again for 2008. He was also a member of Sonora Elk's Lodge, Sonora Shrine Club, Oakdale Shrine Club, Oakland Court No. 6 Royal Order of Jesters, Matuca Chapter 1849 of E Clampus Vitus, and the Odd Fellows. Mr. Clark was a member of the board of directors for the Odd Fellows Sierra Recreation Association at the Sierra Park.

Mr. Clark is survived by his wife of 35 years, Linda; sons Robert Clark and his wife, Doreen, of Fairfax, Marin County, and Jacob Gregory of Portland, Ore.; grandsons Cameron, Ian, Trevor and Kiernan Clark of Fairfax; brothers and sisters-in-law Robert F. and Libby Clark of Danville and James R. and Sharron Clark of El Macero, Yolo County; sister, Jean Johnson of Nevada City; brother-in-law, Alfred D. Plaw of Jamestown; sister-in-law, Pamela Plaw Waterman and her husband, Howard, of La Quinta, Riverside County; 13 nephews and nieces; 30 grandnephews and nieces; and many friends.

A service will be held at 11 a.m. Feb. 23 at Heuton Memorial Chapel. Following the service, a reception will be held at the Sonora Masonic Temple, 16 S. Washington St.

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Shriners' Hospital for Children transportation fund, which provides transport for families of the children so they are able to be with their children. They may be sent to 2425 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95817.

Heuton Memorial Chapel is handling arrangements.

© 2000-2008 Western Communications, Inc.