OBITUARY

NAME: Orville Verdell Clark, age 87, a longtime Coalgate resident.

BORN: He was born on June 23, 1929, to Clarence and LoEva (Goss) Clark, at Maud, OK.

PASSED AWAY: Orville passed away on July 09, 2016 at Coalgate, OK.

AGE:  87 years and 16 days.

EDUCATION: Verdell attended Coalgate High school in 1947, and shortly after that joined the Army and spent some time in Germany. After his discharge from the Army, he enrolled in college at Oklahoma University and earned his PHD in Philosophy  from Pennsylvania State University.

Married:  Verdell married Barbara Jean Pyle on Jan. 31, 1957, they had one son, Randell Verdell Clark, Nov. 27, 1957 who married Karen Lynn Bahr on August 12, 1989

OCCUPATION;  He began his teaching career in Philosophy at the Montana State University and two years later accepted a position at  the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay, where his compassion and love of teaching endeared him to his students, many of whom still kept in touch after all these years. He retired in 1998 and returned to Coalgate.

CHURCH AFFILIATION, HOBBIES AND OTHER AFFILIATIONS:  Verdell was involved in the Coal County Genealogy Association and was President for several years. He tirelessly worked for many other organizations: Coal County Library, the Coal County Chamber of Commerce, the Coalgate Cemetery and the Coal Miners Museum. He was also a member of a Music Club for a time. He fed all the stray cats in town, as well as the birds at the Brandin Iron.

SURVIVED BY

Son:                        Randell Clark & wife Karen of Madison, WI

Sister:                     Wanda Ray & husband William of OKC, OK

Nephew:                Mitchell Hughes of Mustang, OK

Niece:                     Alison Alfonso & husband Tony of OKC, OK

Former Wife:        Barbara Jean Pyle of Verona, WI

ALONG WITH MANY FRIENDS AND ACQUAITANCES

PRECEDED IN DEATH BY

Mother:                 LoEva Driscoll

Father:                   Clarence Clark

Sister:                     Dolores Clark

Special Friend:  Billie Holland

******************************************************************************

DATE OF SERVICES: 10:00 AM Thursday, July 14th, 2016

PLACE OF SERVICES: Brown's Funeral Chapel, Coalgate, Oklahoma

OFFICIATING: Mr. Don Stanberry

INTERMENT: Coalgate Cemetery

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS PLEASE MAKE DONATIONS TO THE COAL COUNTY GENEALOGY ASSOCIATION

CONDOLENCES MAY BE SENT TO THE FAMILY BY EMAIL TO: BROWNSFSCOALGATE@SBCGLOBAL.NET.  PLEASE REFERENCE THE NAME OF THE DECEASED IN YOUR CORRESPONDENCE

SERVICES UNDER THE DIRECTION OF

BROWN 'S FUNERAL SERVICE - COALGATE, OK