Posted by: thepinetree on 09/11/2014 12:04 PM
Updated by: thepinetree on 09/11/2014 12:07 PM
Expires: 01/01/2019 12:00 AM
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Frank Donald Clark “Don” 1941-2014
Valley Springs, CA...Frank Donald "Don" Clark was born: Feb. 24, 1941 in NY and Passed Away: Sept. 9, 2014 at his home in Double Springs, CA of natural causes. Don was 73. Funeral Service will be held at San Andreas Memorial Chapel on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2014 at 1:00PM. Burial will follow at Double Springs Cemetery. Visitation will be On Tuesday From 9:00am to 1:00PM at San Andreas Memorial Chapel. The following was written by Don. "I was born in Syracuse, New York – Graduated from Lafayette High School and later took classes at the University of Nevada-Reno in Political Science. After leaving high school, I worked for seven years for Onondaga County Highway Department as a heavy equipment operator and snow operator. I started my music career while still in high school, working at dances and shows with several “legal” bands. Over 35 years, I had back up band and recording sessions with many country name recording artists and stars. I have appeared in virtually every showroom in the Nevada casino circuit and in night clubs all the U.S. including Gilley’s in Pasadena, Texas and Panther Hall in Forth Worth...
In the early 90’s, I gave up playing music and only played for enjoyment now. I played pedal steel guitar and bass guitar. For the most part, I generally held a full time day job except when I was on the road. Some of these jobs included mobile home transporter, truck driver mechanic, electrician, commercial refrigeration tech. and RV service tech. I also played music while in US Air Force Special Services.
I have lived in upstate New York, Reno, Carson City, and Las Vegas, Nevada, Salt Lake City, Utah, Tucson and Sierra Vista, Arizona and Nashville, Tennessee. We now live in Valley Springs, California on a large cattle ranch that has been in my wife’s family since 1850. I started service in the volunteer fire service in 1958 and over the years have remained involved, recently retiring from Foothill Fire District as Apparatus Supervisor and Advisor. Since moving to California, I have been nominated Senior Citizen of the Year, Firefighter of the Year, several department chief’s awards and have been the subject of many newspaper articles. I remain active in local activities and local history research.
My main hobby is collecting and restoring vintage fire trucks and collecting toy fire trucks. I have six fully operable full-size fire trucks ranging from 1923 to 1971. I also stay fairly busy doing repairs and maintenance on the ranch. Being a sun worshipper, I winter in Arizona to escape the Northern winters.
In 1963, I met Margaret Garcia through a mutual friend. We dated about a year and in 1964 we married near Syracuse, New York. It was kind of an up and down relationship but, two children were born of our marriage: Dana Wayne Clark (now Phelps) born in Cortland, New York and Veronica Margaret Clark (now Phelps) born in Syracuse, New York. This marriage ended in divorce. In 1974, I married Roxanne Gibson in Tucson, Arizona. She had two young boys by a previous marriage and together we had my son Bill. This marriage also ended in divorce. I met my current wife in Carson City, Nevada. Sharon and I were married on Christmas Eve in Carson City. She has three children by her first marriage and in as much as her oldest son elected to stay with his father, she brought her daughter and youngest son into my life. Together we joined forces to raise her daughter, son and my son Bill. We have been together 33 years and never a dull moment. She is my wife, my friend and my partner in dreams."
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