[July 15, 2011] Modesto civic leader L. Clark dies Tweet Jul 15, 2011 (The Modesto Bee - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Lowell Clark, who spent 64 years in the insurance business and involved himself deeply in the civic life of Stanislaus County, died Saturday at his Modesto home. He was 90. Mr. Clark served on the Modesto Irrigation District board for nine years and on the Memorial Hospital Association board for 21 years. He also was a leader with the Boy Scouts of America, the Modesto Chamber of Commerce, the American Legion and many other groups. "He just wanted to try to build a strong community and make it better for everyone he touched," said his son, Randy Clark. Mr. Clark started his career in 1946, founding Taylor & Clark Insurance with Arch Taylor. Randy Clark joined the agency in 1970. It was known as Clark & Clark Insurance until merging with TSM Insurance & Financial Services in 1991. Mr. Clark went to work every day until his retirement last year. Modesto attorney Roger Schrimp volunteered with Mr. Clark in the Boy Scouts and other groups for many years. "You could call him up at the last minute and he would drop everything and do it," Schrimp said. "He was just a wonderful person -- never mad, never upset, always upbeat." Mr. Clark was born in a tent in El Centro on March 27, 1921, and raised in the Ceres area. He was student body president at both Ceres High School and Modesto Junior College. He excelled in football and baseball in school. Mr. Clark received a bachelor's degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1943. The same year, he married Pat Thompson Clark, who survives him. Mr. Lowell served in World War II as a Navy navigator and sonar officer aboard the destroyer USS Wren. He was commended for his role in defending against kamikaze attacks at Okinawa. Mr. Lowell was president of the chamber, the Exchange Club, the Modesto Independent Insurance Agents Association, the United Way of Stanislaus County, the 50-Plus Club of Stanislaus County and his UC Alumni Association chapter. He was commander of Legion Post 491 in Ceres and head trader of Modesto Trade Club. He was on the board of the Greater Modesto Community Foundation and the Stanislaus Community Foundation, a charter member of the Sportsmen of Stanislaus Club and a member of the Modesto Elks Lodge, the Old Fishermen's Club and Del Rio Country Club. Along with his wife and son, survivors include a sister, Margaret Hedgpeth of Modesto; and five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Mr. Clark was preceded in death by his son, Kevin, and his brother, Wayne. Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Trinity United Presbyterian Church, 1600 Carver Road, Modesto. A reception will follow at Del Rio Country Club, 801 Stewart Road, Modesto. Remembrances may be made to Memorial Hospital Foundation, 1316 Celeste Drive, Modesto 95355; Boy Scouts of America, 4021 Technology Drive, Modesto 95356; American Legion Modesto Post 74, P.O. Box 3169, Modesto 95356; or Stanislaus Community Foundation, 1226 11th St., Modesto 95354. Bee staff writer John Holland can be reached at [email protected] or (209) 578-2385. To see more of The Modesto Bee, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.modbee.com/. Copyright (c) 2011, The Modesto Bee, Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]