Melvin D. Clark of St. Augustine, Florida, formerly from West Unity and Bryan, Ohio, passed away Monday, Sept. 3, 2019, at Flagler Hospital. He was born in Bryan, Ohio, to Russell W. Clark and Luella Patten Clark on July 29, 1936, and grew up on a dairy farm north of West Unity.
He graduated from Hilltop High School in 1954 and attended Tri State College in Angola, Indiana, majoring in mechanical engineering. He served in the Army Reserves and was honorably discharged in 1963 as a staff sergeant.
He worked 25 years as a design engineer for the Aro Corporation, Bryan, Ohio. In 1969/70 he and friends built and operated Suburban Golf Course where he served as board chairman. In 1968, he resigned from the Aro Corp., and took over the family farm operation in William County. For 23 years he served as a Williams County township trustee.
He was a life member of West Unity American Legion Post 669 and was also a member of the Williams County Alliance. While living in West Unity he was a member and elder of the West Unity Presbyterian Church. He and his wife moved to St. Augustine, Florida, in 2012.
Surviving Melvin are his wife of 50 years, Sharon Zeller Clark; four sons, Greg Clark (Monica), Bryan, Ohio, Bruce Clark (Martha), Brainard, Minnesota, Timothy Minnemeyer, Brandon, Florida, Christopher Clark (Karen), St. Augustine, Florida; and two daughters, Hollis Zuver, San Antonio, Texas, and Danee Inglis (Duncan), Alicante, Spain; and one brother, Ron Clark (Sandy), Edina, Minnesota. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.
Services for Mel Clark will be held May 23, 2020, in West Unity, Ohio, at the German Church in Floral Grove Cemetery on County Road K at 10:30 a.m., with burial to follow. In the evening, a celebration of life will be held in the West Unity Legion Hall, which will include a benefit for the Brady Township Fire Department.