Thomas Harrison Clark

OAKLEY – Thomas Harrison Clark, a 93-year-old lifetime resident of Oakley, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 28, 2022, at his home.

Tom was born Oct. 11, 1929, in the family home in Oakley, Idaho, to John Aroet and Eula Matthews Clark. Tom and his older brother, Don, grew up on the homestead tending to the livestock that was used for cash and bartering in their father’s grocery store. He attended Oakley Elementary School and Oakley High School and upon graduation, he enrolled at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. While at BYU, Tom received a mission call for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Great Lake Mission serving in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio.

While in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Tom met a missionary, Sister Norene MacKay. Following the return home from their missions, they became engaged and later married in the Salt Lake Temple on April 9, 1952. He then returned to the family business, Clark’s for Shopping, where he worked daily even up to the night before his passing. Tom and his father, John, prepared meats for the counter and did custom meat processing.

Tom was active in the Oakley Vigilantes, the Oakley Chamber of Commerce, and the Oakley Fire Department where he served first as a fireman and then as commissioner for 52 years. As strong supporters of the community, the Clark family served their famous deep-pit BBQ dinner for every Pioneer Days Celebration for 50 years.

He was an active member of the Church and served in numerous leadership capacities including as a member of the Oakley Idaho Stake Presidency for 12 years.

Tom was preceded in death by his father, John Clark; mother, Eula Clark; brother, Don Clark; sister, Sue McIntosh; wife, Norene Clark; daughter-in-law, Marie Keating Clark (wife of Byron); and two grandchildren, Porter Harlo Clark and Lydia Rachel Clark.

He is survived by his children, Harlo (Beckie) Clark of Oakley, Melva (Mark) Peterson of Washington, Utah, Matthew (Melanie) Clark of Sandy, Utah, Byron (MaryBeth) Clark of Charleston, South Carolina, Rachel (Jeremy) Dillon of Oakley, and John (Melissa) Clark of Heyburn; 22 grandchildren; and 33 great-grandchildren.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Oakley Idaho Stake Center, located at 355 N. Center Ave., in Oakley, where family and friends will be received from 5 until 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, and from 1 until 1:45 p.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Oakley Cemetery.

A live webcast of the Funeral Service will be available and maintained at the following link: https://youtu.be/AqRmRUeCr1w.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home of Burley.