[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 210 (Friday, December 11, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S7445]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      REMEMBERING DONALD LEE CLARK

 Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, I rise today to honor a great man 
and Montanan.
  Donald Lee Clark was a soldier, husband, father, professor, author, 
and mentor who loved, lived, and learned for all of his 90 years.
  He tested positive for COVID-19 on November 28, 2020, and died 7 days 
later. At a time when it is easy to be a cynic, Clark was unusually 
optimistic, surrounding himself with family and friends who admired and 
loved him.
  Throughout his accomplished life in the Air Force, where he served 
our Nation as a colonel, Clark never lost sight of making time to enjoy 
the world or people around him. He earned a 3rd degree black belt in 
Judo from the Kodokan Judo College while stationed in Japan. He learned 
to scuba dive as an attache in the Soviet Union in hopes of diving in 
the world's deepest lake. He taught himself to ride a unicycle just for 
the fun of it and took up skiing in his 40s while living in New 
Hampshire as a research fellow at the Fletcher School of Law and 
Diplomacy at Tufts University. He skied the Alps while serving as an 
action officer assigned to the joint staff in the Office of 
International Negotiations.
  He was born in Dallas, TX, to Victor and Sheppard Clark. Don is 
survived by his wife of 65 years Patricia Conway Clark, their two sons 
Brian and his wife Marie of Kalispell, Darren and his wife Myrna of 
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, and three grandsons Kellin Clark and his 
wife Lauren Fox of Washington, DC, and Ryan Clark and Kevin Clark of 
California. He was preceded in death by his older sister Delores.
  Don and his sister were raised in Dallas by their single mother 
Sheppard. He attended Southern Methodist University on theology and 
ROTC scholarships and graduated with a degree in sociology. He later 
earned his masters in political science from George Washington 
University while in the Air Force.
  He met and later married the love of his life Patricia Conway in 1955 
at Perkins Chapel on the campus of Southern Methodist University. After 
graduating from SMU, Clark began his military service career, which 
included assignments around the U.S. and the world.
  During his military career, he served in the Strategic Air Command as 
a B29 navigator, Air Training Command, Security Service, and 
Intelligence. Most of his 23-year military career was focused on 
intelligence. He was a Soviet specialist for numerous U.S. delegations 
including the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, Law of the Seas, and 
Mutual and Balanced Force Reductions.
  He retired from the Air Force as a colonel in 1974 and moved his 
family from DC to Bozeman to ski at Bridger Bowl and become the 
assistant to the president at Montana State University. Six years 
later, he became the director of international education where he also 
taught courses in political science. He later started MSU's 
International Education programs while teaching classes in 
international affairs. While at MSU, he wrote a weekly newspaper column 
for several Montana dailies, excerpts from which were sometimes 
broadcast over Voice of America. His writings also appeared in 
``Skiing'' magazine, the Air University Review, the ``Alternative,'' 
and Defense Analysis.
  After 20 years of teaching at MSU, Clark retired again and moved with 
Patricia to Flathead Lake just outside of Bigfork, MT. In his 
retirement, Clark started writing fiction and published several novels 
intertwining his passion for politics, world affairs and the human 
condition. In his 70s, Clark also volunteered his time to numerous 
community groups. Clark joined CASA--Court Appointed Special 
Advocates--and became a key volunteer working with families and 
children in need. He served on the State advisory board for CASA and on 
the United Way and Red Cross advisory boards in Montana.
  Don was never a victim in life or in death, but his loss is his final 
teaching moment. Even as his mind was fading with Alzheimers, he 
maintained his positive attitude. He never failed to tell his family 
how proud he was, how much he loved them, and what a wonderful life he 
had lived. Don will be missed.

                          ____________________