Eulogy for CB Clark

As a gift to the famliy, I wrote this eulogy for CB Clark on October 3, 2009. The Rev. David Kruse preached CB's funeral and used this piece as a witness.

CB Clark liked a straight row of fence posts.

CB’s farmland adjoined the farm where I grew up just north of Dexter. He had two places, one on the East side of the road where he fed some hogs and kept some machinery and the home place on the West side of the road. We could easily see and hear what was happening at the place on the East side across the road from the telephone building as it was only a short walk, 20 rods or so from our house. The home place was further north and stood on the South edge of the South Raccoon River valley and we seldom heard much from that distance. It was a quiet neighborhood with folks who knew each other and were friends, but pretty much did their own work.

My brother: Chuck, sister: Cathy and I rode the school bus with the Clark boys, Charlie and Rod. They were just a few years older and I looked up to them like one would look up to a younger uncle or older brother. That was a good and a bad thing. On the one hand it was great to have additional folks who could and would watch out for each other from the neighborhood, but I have to tell you that Rod and Charlie, especially Rodney, could get me laughing so hard that I could not breathe. He was the funniest guy I ever met.

We were in 4-H with Charlie, Rod, and most all the other kids from up and down that road: the Sanborn’s, Herring’s, Atherton’s, and the Weesner’s. One of our 4-H leaders was CB Clark. I remember CB yelling quite a bit at the meetings; usually to get Rod to sit down and be quiet because he had me, and a lot of others, laughing so hard I was ready to throw-up. That being said, I was kind of afraid of CB because it seemed to me that he yelled all the time.

It was on one of those days at the Dallas County Fair between the show and the sale when not much was happening. I was 12 or 13 years old, just a kid. I remember like it was yesterday. Our Union Pride township club calves were in the East Isle by the big open North doors of the barn. I was sitting on a show box by myself. CB Clark came wandering up the isle and sat down next to me. For the next 30 minutes we visited. We talked about the weather, the crops, the prices of corn, hogs, and cattle. We talked about normal stuff, nothing much important, just talked.

I doubt very much that CB ever gave a second thought about our conversation, but it was life changing for me and I consider it the day I grew up. In everyone’s life there is a time, an experience, which changes our path and further defines our lives. This was just such a day for me and I have pondered it time and again throughout my life.

This was the first time I can recall an adult outside of my family, ever looked at me with enough respect to ask a question and then listen for an answer. It was a simple thing, to sit and be in conversation with the young neighbor boy. I cannot offer a long list of profound examples of the triumphs of CB’s life other than this simple one that he made a difference in my life by his kindness and willingness to take seriously a conversation with me. However, just perhaps, that says it all. Without being too churchy, I would also add that this is how I have always envisioned Jesus visiting with folks; engaging, listening, responding.

And by way, I also noticed: Whenever CB made fence, the fence posts were always tall and straight. My love and respect to you, Charlie and Rod, on this day.
Amen.