John P. Clark, Sr.

The Rev. Dr. John Preston Clark Sr. died May 30 ^th , 2018, survived by his wife Dolores Irene Clark.

He was born November 3, 1933, to William Preston and May K. Clark and educated in Philadelphia Public Schools. Following graduation from the historic Central High School he attended Swarthmore College on scholarship and was graduated in 1956 with a B.A in Psychology, a new life in Christ, and a call to the ministry. After a semester at Fuller Theological Seminary in California he transferred to Westminster Theological Seminary near Philadelphia and was graduated with a Master of Divinity in 1959.

During those years he spent summers at Camp Pinnacle in upstate New York as counselor and director of the junior boys' division, Pinnacle on the Range. This is notable, because it is there he met his wonderful wife Dorsey. Married in 1959, the Clarks have 4 children, John, 1960, Alison, 1962, Mary, 1965 and Carlton, 1969. Carlton entered the presence of Jesus as an infant, but the other three children are married and have gifted their parents with 20 wonderful grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and 3 more on the way. Daughter, Mary, was promoted to glory in 2013 at the age of 47.

The Clarks spent the first year of marriage with John still at Westminster as a Graduate Scholar, and the next two years in a pastorate in Burlington, New Jersey. John was licensed to preach and ordained in 1961 by the New Jersey Presbytery of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church and in 1962 was called to be the Pastor of the Lansdale (PA) Reformed Presbyterian Church, which became a Presbyterian Church in America in 1982. Also in that year Pastor Clark completed a Master of Sacred Theology degree at Biblical Theological Seminary. The Lansdale church went through a relocation and two building programs during this 20 years, and was the primary stimulus for the commencement of two daughter churches.  In 1998 after 36 years of ministry in Lansdale, Pastor Clark was honorably retired by the Philadelphia Presbytery and named Pastor Emeritus by Lansdale. Whereupon, the Clarks moved to Florida to care for Dorsey's aging parents, now deceased.

In retirement, John was engaged as a Supply Pastor, Stated Supply, and Mission Pastor until 2007 in the Southwest Florida Presbytery, PCA, where he remained a member. In 2002 he was awarded a Doctor of Ministry degree by Trinity Theological Seminary. After preaching monthly in a local mission near their home in Dade City for two years, he subsequently taught in another local church. John had also been an adjunct faculty member of the Evangelical University and Seminary in Plant City, FL. In 2014 the Clarks moved back to Souderton, Pennsylvania.

He was ever grateful to God for a wonderful family and for the "best job in the world". He would add, "Better is one day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked". Psalm 84:10.

Relatives and friends may call after 2:00 p.m. Saturday, June 9, 2018 at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 310 Covenant Lane, Harleysville, PA 19438, followed by the Memorial Service at 3:00 p.m.  Burial will be private.  Arrangements are by the Huff & Lakjer Funeral Home, Lansdale.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in John's memory to Westminster Theological Seminary, General Fund.  2960 Church Road, Glenside, PA 19038