Marvin H. Clark

Marvin H. Clark Marvin Howard Clark, Sr., 91, left us to be with his beloved Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, on Saturday, October 15, 2016. Born August 14, 1925, to Howard and Evalina (Cartwright) Clark in Sadler, TX, he was raised in Abilene, TX. for most of his first 15 years. At age 14 he rode his bicycle out to edge of Abilene, and there knelt down and told the Lord he had heard the divine call to preach. A country preacher who went out on Saturdays to preach on the streets or court house squares of the surrounding towns heard about the young preacher and started taking him along. Daddy credits those experiences as how he learned to preach, and he was soon receiving invitations to preach in churches. He celebrated his 15th birthday in the middle of his first week-long revival, and shortly thereafter was called to pastor his first church. Soon, he decided that a pastor ought to be "the husband of one wife" and took that wife, Pauline M. Turnidge, and began their 68-year marriage until her passing in 2009. Dad's ministry included pastoring a number of churches in West Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and New York. Most of the time he was bi-vocational, meaning the church was too small to support a full time pastor and family, and Dad had another job (sometimes Mom did too.) to make a living. He pastored while attending Harden Simmons University in Abilene and again while he completed his BA at Howard Payne University in Brownwood. At the same time, he had other part time jobs such as grocery stores, selling Bibles, insurance, encyclopedias, and even shoes (Sears), and later, teaching school. He also continued to take correspondence courses, eventually earning a masters' degree. Daddy found the work he was meant to do when he was invited to teach in a new Bible College in New York in 1976. He taught a wide variety of subjects that included Greek, Bible Archaeology, several books of the Bible, and many others. At the same time, he started a couple of churches and mentored many of his students while they also started new churches. In 1979, Baptist Bible College conferred an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree on him. Dad and Mom loved their children, and although they were super strict and sometimes very unfair, we always knew that they loved us and did what they thought was right. The grandchildren remember, with great fondness, Grandpa playing funny songs on his harmonica and making up scary "ghost" stories to tell them. Daddy was preceded in death by our mother, his beloved wife, Pauline; his parents; a sister, Joyce Dane; and a brother, Raymond Clark. He is survived by three daughters: Martha (George) Simpson of Raynham, Massachusetts, Mary Hartman of San Angelo, and Sharon (Reece) Watson of Bigelow, Arkansas; one son, Marvin H. Clark, Jr. (Rada) of Oregon, Missouri; three sisters, Pauline Maul of Payson, Arizona, June Burt and Shirley Pylant, both of Abilene; 18 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren, and 4 great-great granddaughters; numerous nieces, nephews and other extended family, and untold numbers of friends and beloved former church members. He also leaves his church family at Harvest Baptist Church in San Angelo, where he has been a member since moving back to San Angelo upon his retirement in 1993. There will be a family visitation at Robert Massie Funeral Home from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, October 20, 2016, followed by a funeral service at 11:00am Friday, October, 21, 2016 at Harvest Baptist Church. There will be a short graveside service at 3:00pm Friday, October 21, 2016 at Abilene City Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Robert Massie Funeral Home Memorials may be made to Harvest Baptist Church, 2021 Austin, San Angelo, TX 76903.