Rev. Walter DeForest Clark passed away peacefully with his son Christopher Stausz-Clark and his daughter Karen Sporn by his side on April 21st after a brief illness in Seattle, WA. He was 83.
Walter was the son of the late Edwin DeForest Clark and Margaret Davis Clark. He was born in Wilkes-Barre, PA on April 16, 1938. His family lived in Rochester, NY, Wilmington, NC and Greenville, SC. He graduated from Greenville High School, Davidson College and Princeton Theological Seminary.
Walter married Judy Strausz of Yakima, WA and they moved to Charlotte, NC.
Walter was a Community Worker in Charlotte and worked with under privileged children and families. He was sponsored by Myers Park Presbyterian Church and Third Presbyterian Church. He founded an Auto Mechanic Garage and taught mechanical skills to boys who needed to learn a trade. He also formed a basketball team in the area.
The family moved to Minneapolis and Walter became a Pastor at the Presbyterian House of Faith and was there for 27 years. He and his Congregation worked with the community in Minneapolis and housed several agencies that offered food, clothing and counseling at House of Faith. He also reached out to the community through summer neighborhood, Vacation Bible Schools.
His two children Christopher and Karen attended the House of Faith Church Nursery School. He started “Familia De Fe”, a Latino Congregation in 1990. They worshipped at House of Faith and continued on after he retired. Walter loved music. He was an oboist and singer. He loved sports, hiking, camping and traveling. He was a poet and a writer and loved reading.
He is survived by his son Christopher Strausz-Clark (Jaime) and their two children Katie and Hannah and by his daughter Karen Sporn (Matt) and their two sons Calan and Ashton who live in Seattle, WA.
He is also survived by his three sisters, Louise Sadler of Charlotte, NC, Margaret Jones (Pete) of Chapel Hill, NC and Mary Tyler (A.C.) of Wilmington, NC and 9 nieces and nephews Kathy Call, Michael Reville, Steve Reville, Beth Blackwelder, Nathan Sadler, Alison Jones, David Jones, Mark Jones, Margaret Tyler. He is predeceased by one niece Margaret Reville of Birmingham.
There will be a Celebration of Life at a later date.
The family wishes to thank Abe Go and his staff at the Family Home Magnolia Domicile, for their loving care of Walter while he was there.
Walter was a servant of the Lord.
At the end of his poem about the birth of Christ he states:
“But in this quiet stall I feel no fear,
Some rustling straw the only sound I hear,
No walls, no spears, no taxing Government,
No thrones, no fitting monument,
Force my allegiance to this Deity,
For nothing stands between my Lord and me.”
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