July 13, 1930 — April 5, 2008

Daniel Herman Clark was born July 13, 1930, and passed away on April 5, 2008. He was born to Ellis and Madge Clark at home in a small house located across from the Children’s Farm Home east of Corvallis. Shortly after, the family relocated to Woods Creek Road west of Philomath, where he was raised as a “country boy.” Adored by aunts and uncles, he was nicknamed “Punk,” which followed him to the end.

At the young age of 17 he joined the Air Force and was trained as an electrician and side gunner on the B-17 Flying Fortress while stationed in Anchorage, Alaska. Dan was a member of a band that played at the Air Force Officers Club. He had a natural ability to play any stringed instrument by ear. Upon completing his tour of duty for his country, Dan headed south to Oregon. Along his way he stopped and bought himself a Harley Davidson.

While working as a truck driver and staying in Glendale, he met Barbara Hayes. An invitation to a dance turned into 56 ½ years of love and marriage. This union resulted in three children, Connie, Daniel and Kelly; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Dan and Barbara purchased their property from his parents; there, they raised their own family.

Dan and his lifelong companion, Barbara, spent their time together doing many shared passions: hunting, fishing, camping, exploring Oregon, horses, water skiing, gold panning, metal detecting, dirt-bike riding, and all the things married couples do. During his life, Dan’s No. 1 passion, after his family, was flying. Dan always said this passion stemmed from the fact his father, Ellis, took him up in his friend’s plane when he was only 3 months old. While rearing their first child and wrangling on a ranch near Prineville, Dan obtained his private pilot’s license. Also during this time in his life, long traits for ingenuity and determination started showing up. Dan transported his first plane home by removing the wings, placing the tail in the back of his uncle’s pickup, and towing it down the highway on its front tires. Later in life, after purchasing his second airplane, a Piper Cub, he obtained his commercial pilot’s license. Getting together a group of pilots, they formed “Ace Aero Service.” This company, located just south of Philomath, offered crop dusting services. While running the business, Dan learned to fly helicopters and earned his instructors certificates for helicopter, single-engine and twin-engine aircraft. This allowed him not only to live his dream but to also enable others to experience the glory of flight.

Dan had a talent and passionate aptitude for creating projects during his life. He built a Gyrocopter, converted a Chevy El Camino into the hottest 4-wheel-drive around, manufactured a T-bucket Roadster for his wife, and turned a Volkswagen Bug into an electric car. He also built a scuba-tank tumbler, which funded scuba lessons for his entire family, and then constructed an underwater scuba tow that was used during the family’s gold dredging adventures. The list goes on and on!

Another opportunity in life led to a career change as a much-respected maintenance millwright. He worked for Evanite Fiber Corp., from which he retired in 1989.

Dan and Barbara lived and died in their home on Woods Creek Road. Barbara passed away on January 22, 2008. Dan hung on for a short three months before he passed away from complications of emphysema and a “broken heart.” Dan is and will be sorely missed by all family and friends. May God Bless and keep you both close to his heart, as we will keep you both in our hearts!