Avis de décès de Donald Clark - Nécrologie - MesAieux.com

ASHBURNHAM -- Donald L. Clark, 75, of 15 Puffer St., died Friday, Feb. 20, at HealthAlliance Hospital/Leominster after an illness. He was born in Leominster on Sept. 12, 1928, the son of Eugene W. and Ruth (McKenney) Clark. He attended Leominster schools as well as Fitchburg State College and Mount Wachusett Community College, Gardner. Mr. Clark worked for Simonds Saw and Steel Co. of Fitchburg (presently Simonds International) for 42 years, retiring in 1990. A 40-year member of the Ashburnham Fire Department, he retired with the rank of assistant chief after a career that spanned 40 years of service. He had served as chief officer for 27 years. He was active in many civic affairs in the town of Ashburnham. Mr. Clark was a member of the Kingsmen Drum and Bugle Corps for many years and was a national champion individual French horn bugler for many years. He was also a member of the All American Drum and Bugle Corps Association, as a judge, and judged many competitions throughout the New England area. An avid photographer, he was a member of and past president of the Camera Club of Fitchburg. After his high school and college days he became a freelance photographer in the areas of photojournalism, news, wedding, commercial, industrial, forensic and advertising photography. As a highly regarded lecturer and teacher of photography, he taught locally and throughout the Northeast and judged numerous photographic competitions throughout New England, including competitions sanctioned by the Photographic Society of America. He taught at the annual Yankee Workshop of Photography as well as at numerous local and regional camera clubs, and taught many classes in beginning photography in Fitchburg under the auspices of the Fitchburg Camera Club. He has won more than 300 trophies, medals, ribbons and certificates of merit in local, regional and international competitions and exhibitions for his black and white prints and also in the field of color slides. He also received countless awards for his color work in the 35 mm format, including “Best of Show” in the annual Robert Gauthier Memorial Salon and 15 perfect scores with individual slides in PSA International competitions and eligibility for Slide of the Year in PSA Annual Competitions. His prints are in many private collections. Throughout his career Mr. Clark not only served his community and the Montachusett area in many capacities, but established a sterling reputation as an instructor of various subjects dealing with public safety. He spent more than 20 years as an instructor-trainer in the field of first aid for the American Red Cross, training more than 100 future instructors in this field before the advent of the EMS system. His students included teachers, police officers, firefighters, National Ski Patrol personnel and the general public. Mr. Clark taught classes in rescue from motor vehicle accidents and structural disasters for many fire departments along the East Coast and New Jersey, as well as for the Civil Defense. For many years he taught subjects at the New Hampshire Fire School including forcible entry, ventilation and field hydraulics and water supply. Several years ago he wrote and self-published a book, “Call Firefighter.” Mr. Clark served as an adjunct instructor for the Fireground Tactics and Incident Command at the National Fire Academy courses at the University of Massachusetts, as well as at local departments. He leaves his wife of 52 years, Marilyn (Russell) Clark; a son, David R. Clark, and daughter-in-law, Anne-Marie, of Barre; a daughter, Janet E. Trask, and son-in-law, Mark, of Duxbury; a son, Richard W. Clark, and his fiancŽe, Susan Perkins of Lunenburg, a son, James E. Clark of Weymouth; a daughter-in-law, Diane Clark of Gardner; as well as six grandchildren, Jason, Andrea and Shannon Trask, Patrick and Kayley Clark, and Jessica Clark. He also leaves a sister, Susan Francavilla, and brother-in-law, Gilbert, of Tenants Harbor, Maine. A sister, Elizabeth Glover, died in 1991. CLARK -- On Feb. 20, Donald L. Clark, 75, of Ashburnham. Friends will be welcomed at the family home at 15 Puffer St. in Ashburnham on Sunday, March 7, from 1 to 6 p.m. A Celebration of Remembrance will be held at a date and time to be announced later. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Gordon E. Erickson Rescue Fund, c/o Ashburnham Fire Department, 3 Central St., Ashburnham, MA 01430. To sign the online guest book, visit the Web site at www.fletcherfuneral.com. Arrangements are by Fletcher-Hebert Funeral Home, 70 Pleasant St., Winchendon.