Clifton Tafford Clark

Clifton Tafford Clark, 90, of Prairie Grove, Ark., died May 25, 2018, at home.

He was born Aug. 9, 1927, in Locust Grove,

Ark., to Sybil and Brady Clark. After high school, he enjoyed a short stint of minor league baseball as catcher for the Detroit Lions’ farm team before serving in the U.S. Army in Hawaii during the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor bombing. He returned home in 1950 to marry Phyllis Clark and attend Arkansas College in Batesville, Ark., where he played basketball and football while earning a degree in education. He was a teacher, basketball coach, principal, and superintendent of schools in Pleasant Grove, Ark., and later in Melbourne, Ark. He was part-owner of an LP gas business and auto parts store for a few years before he began a career in 1969 with the U.S. Agriculture Department (A.S.C.S.). He received a federal appointment to be State Director of Agriculture and served in this capacity during the Bush and Reagan administrations and retired in 1988 to Batesville.

He enjoyed all things sports, hunting quail, fishing for crappie, and he enjoyed laughing and carrying on with friends and family. He was a devout Methodist, always serving in leadership roles and teaching Sunday School until his last day. He was a man of principal, strong work ethic, good character and faithful to God and country, friends, and family. His grandchildren were his pride and joy.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and his sisters, Mildred Ezekiel and Floy Lee Owens of Kansas City, Mo.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Phyllis Clark; one son, Phillips Clark and his wife, Doris, of Bentonville, Ark; one daughter, Beth Everett, and husband, John Everett, of Prairie Grove; three grandchildren, Cameron and Caitlin Clark of Bentonville, and Jackson Diebold of Prairie Grove; two sisters, Zelda Carrier of Prairie Village, Kan., and Fayrene Holder of Malvern, Ark.; one brother, Chester Clark of Batesville.

A memorial service will be held at the Viney Grove Methodist Church in Prairie Grove on Wednesday, May 30, 2018, at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the charity of your choice.

Luginbuel Funeral Home of Prairie Grove is in charge of arrangements.