Super Clark: South Dakota Funeral

I haven't been able to bring myself to go back through these days in such detail as this. They were hard to live the first time but surprisingly, listening to the audio has been very comforting now that some time as passed and my heart is not so tender. Tears of missing and longing and remembrance fall rather than tears of sheer pain.

South Dakota Funeral

Eulogy read by Kristin Purles. Once a hero always a hero. He didn't realize his powers. He had to magnify them and learn how to use them which he did in the last year of his life. He had the get away car, his Dodge Charger, and his loyal side kick, Hemi. Some of his powers were bravery - surgeries, test, biopsies, never showed fear; selflessness - Myls said he was fighting just as much for all of us as for himself; humility - He came into fame and attention without even knowing it. Clark was told he was famous in Watertown and he was so puzzled as to why; patience - He endured so much and he endured it well. He endured everything without complaint. He was a good example and restored our belief in the goodness of mankind. People swarmed to help, offered prayers and services.

I regret not telling him that I love him more. I expressed love for my family. How comforting it was to look up and see a group of big tall strong men walking toward me in the hospital.

Enos 1: 27 And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen.

Bruce Larson - Clark had a way with people and was always looking for friends. If you took the time to shake his hand, he had you right where he wanted you and you couldn't get away without being his friend. I know that Jesus wept. I was with Clark when his spirit left his body and I wept. We have a Father in Heaven, we are children of God. He sent his only begotten son to atone. Because of our Savior, He overcame the grave. He took the sting out of death and saved us. I know that day will come for everyone that we will be resurrected. When that day comes for me, I will be able to put my arms around Clark, and once again I will weep and my tears will fall on his back, this time they will be tears of happiness.

Clark's first day of work in Utah.We were asked to work all night. Clark turned pale and gave his first excuse that he had to unpack his suit case. Then said he had to paint his bedroom.We had supper and talked and worked all night together. That young man eventually became my boss. He was a hard worker and was honest. I worked coast to coast in heat, cold, and rain with Clark. Shared stories of Clark getting stuck 300 ft up on a tower and being rescued by Aaron and another of accidentally dropping something from the top of a tower and starting a fire in Idaho big enough to bring several firetrucks, a helicopter, and the news.

Sometimes Clark was a big goofball and referred to a lot of people, especially me, as a goofball. Building a tower in Montana, he used a two pound hammer to get a bolt, wound up but didn't move his finger out of the way. Logan and Clark made a plan to get the swelling down. They got a drill, put on a bit. Logan held the drill and pulled the trigger, Clark pressed his finger into the drill, the bit caught and Clark's arm twisted all around. Blood squirting and they had succeeded. They were happy.

Heavenly Father has given us prayer as way of communicating with him. Grateful for all the prayers given in behalf of Clark. Clark touched many lives during his illness. It was because of your prayers that Heavenly Father prolonged Clark's life for a time. I believe in my heart that Clark did more in his sickness as an example to us than I've ever seen. He stopped in one day and I asked, "How are you feeling Clarky?" "Pretty good for as sick as I am." The last day I visited him in the hospital, he was resting and Drs came in to do work. Clark woke up and looked at them and said, "What are you doing here? Are you worried about my health?"

Refereed to the picture on the back of the program. Clark's funeral was June 19, Clark's dad died June 20. Can you see the happiness on Jim's face? Never seen his dad's face happier. We cannot reach the fullness of joy in mortality. When he calls us home, we reach that fullness of joy. This is one of the happiest father's today. He has his son back with him. We are all born and we all die. We all die so we can live. Our father will call us home and we will have joy. I miss him dearly already. A guy who worked with Clark said, "Because of Clark I hugged my kids and told them that I love them like I've never done before." Clark Kimble is as super man. One more word that starts with S that would fit him appropriately that word is special because he is. I don't know how he did it but he did it with dignity. Grateful for Savior and atonement.

Ricky Lueck - I got to know Clark very well through his life and through working with him. Clark loves to dance and loves listening to music. Clark wanted to go to Tiajuana so we walked around, found a dance and had a great time. On the drive back, cop cars pulled us over. Clark had a giggle and a chuckle. We had a whole scenario worked out but police found the carpenter's knife as a weapon. We were hands up on the truck and Clark was looking at me with this smirk and I said, "Clark, this is not the time to smirk. We aren't even in our own country." The cop said, "You guys are going to jail" and I said, "No we're not" and we went into a staring contest as Clark is giggling. We luckily got away but a week later Clark had the audacity to say, "Hey Ricky, do you want to go to Tiajuana?" I said, "Clark, I'm never going there again. I'm not going." We went to Tiajauna again. And I kid you not, after the dance, driving back across the border, almost, and we got stopped again, had to get out of the truck, put our hands on the truck, again. As Clark's looking across from me I said, "Oh isn't this familiar." Those were the adventures that Clark had. He liked to get out there and live life.

He was a great persuader. The only person ever to persuade me to shave my head. All of a sudden Clark said, "Let's shave our heads." I said "No way, I'm not going to shave my head." Thirty minutes later my head was shaved. Lots of memories with him, wresting in his family's house on the floor.

He starts a new adventure. An adventure to teach other people about the gospel of Jesus Christ. He lives. His spirit lives. The great blessings that our Father in Heaven promises us that we can be sealed for time and all eternity with the people that we love. I love Clark very much. He was a friend but more he was a brother, and I will always remember him as a brother.

Testify that Jesus is the Christ and he gave us a plan that we can return to live with him again and see our loved ones again.

Eric Larson - Clark and I had a pretty special relationship. Clark's personality was a bit shy but once you got to know him that went away, and a smile went upon his face. His first day of work, I was the guy on the tower with him that night after he'd worked all day. He looked so young. I asked him how he liked it. He said, "I don't like this every much at all." I thought in my mind, "Well this is his last day." He was very successful in what he did. I gave his some very difficult tasks to do that experienced people could not and would not do. That young guy, he could do it. Seldom, he would ask questions, and he would listen, and he would understand, and he would follow.

When we were in Florida working, we wanted to spend some time on the beach on the water. We worked first, got our job done, and we were hungry. Of course we hit the Burger King, you know we wanted some good food! Whoppers, Double Whoppers, extra cheese, fries, super size it if you can. We are hungry! Clark comes to the counter and says, "I'll have a side salad and an ice water." I look at him and think, "That guy's gotta be jokin'. I know he's hungry." I ask, "Clark, why don't you eat? We're going to be out there for awhile." His peers are standing there and he tries to speak real quiet and says, "I don't want to look bloated at the beach." I never stopped laughing about that. Back to the beach, it's time to start snorkeling. We're looking for creatures and critters and sure enough we come upon a jelly fish, a small jelly fish. I heard a scream under water, and sure enough by the time I poked my head up Clark was half way into shore already. I didn't know you could scream under water so loud.

Clark was very helpful. He would do anything for anybody. Being the way I am in the water I got stung by a jelly fish that day. Clark being pretty educated, he knows the first aid techniques for jelly fish stings, or what people say. I come in and my shoulder is pretty swelled up. Clark, he's ready to help. I said, "What are you doin?" "I heard peeing on ya helps it." I said, "No thanks. I'm willing to take my chances." He wanted to help.

I love my cousins. I really loved Clark. He taught me a lot. Honesty is a big one. I remember Drs coming in to ask medical questions. I would always stand up to excuse myself so he could talk honestly. He was never afraid to tell the truth. He would come into work and he would talk, tell me about his weekend. He had fun most of the time, or a bad weekend he would tell me. Music and downloading songs. Find free downloads. Not the most honest thing. I'm really going to miss that. Miss seeing his fingers on the keyboard and on his phone texting. I too had the opportunity to be with him that last day. I could hardly speak. One thing that gives me comfort is to know that all he did is leave his temporary home. He is home. He is gone from us but he is alive.

A letter that my 8 year old son wrote. Clark even touched lives of children. He came into me late one night after Clark had passed away and asked me to read this. "Every time I close my eyes I think of Clark. Clark was a brave young man til he died June 11 2010 he was 24. He was really healthy. Every time I think of his tears fall down my face. Clark was a hard worker. Something attacked his liver, then he had to have a bmt but he did not have enough money so he died but he's in heaven now so no more pain. That's a good thing. We all call him Super Clark now. He's a good man. Clark is my hero in many ways. The end."

Ryan Yoder - He's my first brother. Clark's a special boy to me. Clark couldn't really make you mad, you couldn't pick on him because he'd do whatever you wanted him to. He was very very easy to get along with and easy to talk to . The day he called me to tell me he was sick, with the crude family jokes we have, I would call him up and say, "Is it liver die?" Every day I called him it was liver. We prayed and prayed for him to get a liver. it was to allow this last year to really get to know Clark. He traveled and we lived pretty far from each other. This has brought us very close together I am so thankful that this liver allowed us this time with him. My family means so much to me. It's so awesome having a big family. Clark will always be with us. Clark we love you very much and we will see you again some day.

Bjorn Kimble - I don't have much to say but what I can say I have written in poem.

The yellow skinned boy was awaiting a new liver
Each day that went by his body grew sicker and sicker.
Finally the answer came and was being air delivered.
The operation was started without even a thought or a quiver
After some time he rose to his feet
That last Christmas with my brother felt so special and sweet
Not long after you were back to the beeping monitors and pain
feelings of helplessness were showered on everyone like clouds of rain
Clark's life was too valuable and short for a price
Boy, that man's decision sure wasn't very nice.
The passing was hard but I felt as if it wasn't real
This day has brought the toughest pain I've ever had to feel
I'll think of you and remember the good times, when I look from afar
Cause the sky will forever be lit by your bright Super Clark star.

Stan Lamb - D&C 42: 45 Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die, and more especially for those that have not hope of a glorious resurrection.

Quote from Pres Spencer W. Kimble who was the president of the church at the time Clark was born. "We knew before we were born that we were coming to the Earth for bodies and experience, and that we would have joys and sorrows, ease and pain, comforts and hardships, health and sickness, successes and disappointments. We also knew that after a period of life we would die. We accepted all these eventualities with a glad heart, eager to accept both the favorable and the unfavorable. We eagerly accepted the chance to come earth ward even though it might only be for a day or a year."

With the support of each other and our Heavenly Father, we will find a way to go on living without him here on Earth until we can see him again. The analogy of the hand being a spirit and the glove being the body. When we come to Earth, spirit and body come together. When the spirit is taken away, the body becomes lifeless. It doesn't mean that Clark doesn't move. The joy of the plan of salvation is that we know that a time will come when the body and spirit will be reunited, the resurrection. The part of Clark that looked out through his eyes, and allowed him to think, and smile, and act, and know, and be, will come back to his body and will rise again. Inside this chapel, we can't see very far because the walls block our view. We go outside and stand on top of a hill and we can see for miles and miles. The death that Clark has experienced is like him going through the doors, outside on top of that hill, and his view is no longer restricted.

Joseph F. Smith, "While we are in mortality we are clogged and we see as through a glass dark way. We see only in part and it is difficult for us to comprehend the smallest things with which we are associated. But when we put on immortality our condition will be very different, for we ascend into an enlarged sphere."

We will always remember Clark and his infections smile. Some people, it is not possible to talk to them without smiling. Clark was one of those people.