Obituary provided courtesy of Hooper, Huddleston, and Horner Funeral Home.

Funeral services for A. C. Clark, 94, of Cookeville, will be held Wednesday, January 25, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at Jefferson Avenue Church of Christ. Buddy Johnson, minister, will officiate. Interment with military honors will follow at 3 pm at the Donaldson Family Cemetery in Clay County, Tennessee. The Clark family will receive friends on Tuesday from 4 until 8 pm at Hooper, Huddleston, and Horner funeral home and on Wednesday from 10:00 am until service time at 11 am at the church. 

Mr. Clark died Thursday evening, January 19, 2017, at his home. He was born on a farm in Willow Grove, Tennessee to the late Charles Edward and Mary Pearl Upchurch on June 15, 1922. He was married to Katherine Terry Clark, also from Clay County, for 68 years.

At age nineteen (19), Mr. Clark joined the Army serving in World War II with the 45th Division of the 179th Infantry. After training, he was sent to Africa and from there he participated in the amphibious landing and battle for the Anzio beach head of Italy. From Anzio, he participated in the liberation of Rome. He then made an amphibious landing in the invasion of Southern France at St. Marime during Operation Dragoon. The French campaign resulted in his marching with the division directly across France and into the Vosges Mountains and on to the Rhine River.

During his service, he was awarded the Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster and he received three Bronze Stars for service above and beyond the call of duty.

After the war, Mr. Clark received his B.S. Degree in Agricultural Science in 1948 from Tennessee Technological University and his M.S. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Tennessee in 1957. He began his Extension career in 1949 in Pickett County. From 1955 to 1961, he served as 4-H Leader and County Agent in Putnam County. He became the Agricultural Program Supervisor in 1961 and was appointed District IV Supervisor in 1962.

Much of Mr. Clark's career was devoted to the youth phase of the Extension program. He was a leader in the establishment of the Clyde M. York 4-H Center near Crossville. He has seen many of the young people with whom he has worked assume leadership roles in community and state activities. Their development and success in life and support of Agriculture are tributes to his work with them.

When A. C. retired from the Extension Service in 1986, he was asked to become the Commissioner of Agriculture for Tennessee. He served in that position from 1987 to 1989. From 1989 to 1992, Mr. Clark was a part of the Governor's Resources Development Committee.

In 1992, Mr. Clark joined the Putnam County Farm Bureau Board of Directors and was elected President of the Board of Directors. Mr. Clark has been a member of the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees, the Tennessee Board of Regents, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commission, and President of the Tennessee Rehabilitation Corporation. He is a member of the University of Tennessee’s Benefactors Society, Tennessee Technological University’s Presidents Club, and the 4-H Foundation Hall of Fame.

After his many years of public service, Mr. Clark has been content to take care of his farm and spend time with his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. However, he continues to be a leader in many community and civic activities and in his church.

Mr. Clark was still a vital part of agricultural activities and a very busy man. His sage advice and influence will long be felt in the counties and in this state he has served continuously.

In addition to his parents, Edward and Pearl Clark, Mr. Clark was preceded in death by sisters, Ruth Holman, Anne Keisling, Edwina Langford, and Margaret Coleman and a brother, Durrell Clark.

Survivors include his wife, Katherine Terry Clark (whom he married March 18, 1948 in Cookeville); two daughters and sons-in-law Sandra Shepherd and Ken Shepherd of Cookeville, Patricia and John Taylor of Silver Point; sons Jim Clark of Wilson, N.C. and Eddie and Sarah Clark of Cookeville. Five grandchildren: Kent (Christy) Shepherd, Dr. Garrett (Joriel) Shepherd, Katherine Sloan Clark, Lauren Taylor Clark, and Bradley Palmer Clark. Six great grandchildren: Blake Richmond Shepherd, Jared Bennett Shepherd, Maya Janae Shepherd, Tanner Douglas Shepherd, Ellie Ruth Shepherd, and Archer Clark Shepherd and a host of nieces and nephews

Honorary pall bearers will be the retired District 4 Agriculture Extension Staff and Don Welch, Davis Watts, Danny Smith, Gerald Maynard and Dale Judd. Active pall bearers are Kent Shepherd, Garrett Shepherd, Brad Clark, Blake Shepherd, Dakota and Montana Palmer, and Doug Martin.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Clark Farm Scholarship at TTU: %Tennessee Tech University, PO Box 1915, Cookeville, TN 38505.

Hooper- Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements (931) 526-6111. You may share your thoughts and memories at www.hhhfunerals.com.



 

 Service Information