Obituary for Kirby Wyn Clark
Kirby Wyn Clark went home to Heaven on Sunday, January 8, 2023 with his family by his side. He is predeceased by his beloved daughter Gretchen. Kirby was born to Elwyn and Clarissa Clark on Thanksgiving Day, November 27th 1941 at home in Harmony, Maine.
He grew up in Harmony and graduated from Harmony High School and then went on to study at New Brunswick Bible Institute, New Brunswick, Canada and Barrington College’s music program in Barrington, RI. He later became a Certified Mechanic at Polaroid Corporation where he worked for over 36 years. He also had his license to drive a school bus. After he retired from Polaroid, he drove for Concord Public School, Bedford Charter Company and Marcus Lewis Day Camp. He was a property manager and a member of his condo association. Over the years he held a variety of jobs: delivering lumber to papermills in Maine, Sandler shoe factory in Harmony and Willians & Anderson, a jewelry factory in Providence. RI, among others.
Kirby enjoyed many activities as a young man. He enjoyed driving, which he learned to do at the age of eight, and skiing and roller skating. As an adult he loved driving his motorcycle, whether it was riding with his best friend Sam, dirt biking with Sam and his sons, or driving his daughters around on long rides. He also enjoyed camping with his wife and daughters and friends, first in a tent, then a pop-up camper, and finally a travel trailer. They camped at York Beach, Maine, Cape Cod, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and their favorite spot, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Music was a very important part of his life. As a youth he attended Maine Music Camp in the summers and took private trumpet lessons. He had a beautiful voice and sang in the choir and many solos at his church in Carlise, MA and his home church in Maine. He also sang many duets with his wife Barbara. He was asked many times to sing at weddings and funerals and as a young man he played Taps at Veterans’ funerals in his home town. He also enjoyed playing the trumpet at his church’s Easter sunrise services over the years. Starting as a young child and throughout the rest of his life he sang of his faith in Jesus and the promise of eternal life in Heaven.
Kirby was very active in his church, Carlise Congregational Church. He served as a trustee, music committee member, custodian, and was ready and willing to do anything to serve others even using his great mechanical skills to help fix others’ cars. He also drove the bus for an annual trip to the Boston Pops.
Kirby’s greatest joy on this earth was his family: his wife, Barbara, his daughters, Gretchen and Allison, his son-in-law, Pat, and his five wonderful grandchildren, Daniel, Peter, Beth, Lydia and Yve. He was a faithful, loving and supportive husband, father and grandfather; always there with a smile, a laugh and unconditional love. Because of his loving spirit he had a huge impact on the lives of others, young and old alike.
Kirby is survived by his wife, Barbara Dawn Clark, his daughter Allison Hopkins and her husband Patrick, his grandchildren, Daniel Hopkins and his wife Christy, and Peter, Beth, Lydia and Yve Hopkins. He is also survived by his sisters, Margaret Bennett of Springfield, Missouri, and Velma Sinclair of Wellington, Maine, brother and sisters-in-law, many nieces and nephews, and dear friends too numerous to mention here.
A Celebration of Life Service is scheduled for Saturday January 28, 2023 at 2pm at Carlisle Congregational Church, 147 School Street, Carlisle, MA. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Kirby’s name to Carlisle Congregational Church, P.O. Box 191, Carlisle, MA 01741.
He grew up in Harmony and graduated from Harmony High School and then went on to study at New Brunswick Bible Institute, New Brunswick, Canada and Barrington College’s music program in Barrington, RI. He later became a Certified Mechanic at Polaroid Corporation where he worked for over 36 years. He also had his license to drive a school bus. After he retired from Polaroid, he drove for Concord Public School, Bedford Charter Company and Marcus Lewis Day Camp. He was a property manager and a member of his condo association. Over the years he held a variety of jobs: delivering lumber to papermills in Maine, Sandler shoe factory in Harmony and Willians & Anderson, a jewelry factory in Providence. RI, among others.
Kirby enjoyed many activities as a young man. He enjoyed driving, which he learned to do at the age of eight, and skiing and roller skating. As an adult he loved driving his motorcycle, whether it was riding with his best friend Sam, dirt biking with Sam and his sons, or driving his daughters around on long rides. He also enjoyed camping with his wife and daughters and friends, first in a tent, then a pop-up camper, and finally a travel trailer. They camped at York Beach, Maine, Cape Cod, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and their favorite spot, Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Music was a very important part of his life. As a youth he attended Maine Music Camp in the summers and took private trumpet lessons. He had a beautiful voice and sang in the choir and many solos at his church in Carlise, MA and his home church in Maine. He also sang many duets with his wife Barbara. He was asked many times to sing at weddings and funerals and as a young man he played Taps at Veterans’ funerals in his home town. He also enjoyed playing the trumpet at his church’s Easter sunrise services over the years. Starting as a young child and throughout the rest of his life he sang of his faith in Jesus and the promise of eternal life in Heaven.
Kirby was very active in his church, Carlise Congregational Church. He served as a trustee, music committee member, custodian, and was ready and willing to do anything to serve others even using his great mechanical skills to help fix others’ cars. He also drove the bus for an annual trip to the Boston Pops.
Kirby’s greatest joy on this earth was his family: his wife, Barbara, his daughters, Gretchen and Allison, his son-in-law, Pat, and his five wonderful grandchildren, Daniel, Peter, Beth, Lydia and Yve. He was a faithful, loving and supportive husband, father and grandfather; always there with a smile, a laugh and unconditional love. Because of his loving spirit he had a huge impact on the lives of others, young and old alike.
Kirby is survived by his wife, Barbara Dawn Clark, his daughter Allison Hopkins and her husband Patrick, his grandchildren, Daniel Hopkins and his wife Christy, and Peter, Beth, Lydia and Yve Hopkins. He is also survived by his sisters, Margaret Bennett of Springfield, Missouri, and Velma Sinclair of Wellington, Maine, brother and sisters-in-law, many nieces and nephews, and dear friends too numerous to mention here.
A Celebration of Life Service is scheduled for Saturday January 28, 2023 at 2pm at Carlisle Congregational Church, 147 School Street, Carlisle, MA. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Kirby’s name to Carlisle Congregational Church, P.O. Box 191, Carlisle, MA 01741.