Jim Clark was born to George Dobson and May Lincoln Clark in the coal-mining town of Bulger, PA. He had three sisters and two brothers-Sadie May Cochran, Mary E. Kuehnel, Maud Long, George W. Clark, and John L. Clark. All preceded him in death. Jim was grateful to God for giving him a mother who would take him as a lad out to a special field and read Bible stories and saw to it that he went to all of the church functions and camp meetings.

In 1929, the family moved to Cleveland, OH. After finishing high school, Dr. Ezra DeVol suggested he attend Marion College, now Indiana Wesleyan University. He went, feeling that God had called him to be a medical missionary. But after two years he realized that his hearing loss was too much to overcome.

After graduating, he hitchhiked to Tucson, AZ, and worked there until «Pearl Harbor.» Designated a «4-F,» Jim hitchhiked back to Cleveland and went to night school at Western Reserve University, where he met the medical artist of the Cleveland Clinic. At the artist’s suggestion, Jim applied for a job there and worked as an assistant to Dr. Kim in biochemistry research from 1942 to 1948.

In 1948, Jim married June Tasker, a Methodist Episcopal minister and RN. He worked at Cleveland Marine Hospital and Parma Veterans Hospital as a medical technologist until 1951.

In 1950, Jim and June traveled to Newberg to visit Dr. Paul E. Parker, who was at that time president of George Fox College (now University). He applied for work at Vancouver, Portland, and Medford VAH. They bought then rented out a house on Villa Road and returned to Cleveland. When Jim was transferred to the Portland VAH in 1951, they moved to Newberg, OR. June worked at the Newberg hospital. Both retired in 1979. Newberg Friends Church has been their spiritual home all these years.

Looking back on his life from childhood to the final acceptance to the arms of Jesus, Jim saw that the Lord had his hand on him all those years. He expressed thanks to all the folks who had a positive influence on him.