Ronald Jess Clark, age 86, a longtime resident of McCook and a longtime administrator for McCook Public Schools, passed away at his home in McCook on Sunday morning, August 29, 2021. Ron was born on February 21, 1935 to Jess Albert and Evangeline (Connor) Clark at their home south of Haigler, Nebraska. He was welcomed by older siblings, sister, Velda and brother, Dean. At the age of four years, Ron came down with polio. His father found a bicycle in Omaha for him to ride, exercising his legs after many months of being in casts. At that time in the “dirty 30’s”, it was extremely difficult to find bicycles. Ron attended country school and then Haigler High School where he graduated with the class of 1952.
While growing up, he spent countless hours playing town team baseball where he was a pitcher on Sunday afternoons. In high school, he loved playing football. After graduation, Ron attended Chadron State Teacher’s College where he played football and was a pitcher on the baseball team. He always wanted to play professional baseball and was being scouted when a shoulder injury forced him to make a different career choice. In 1955, he graduated with his teaching degree and taught English and coached at Maxwell, Lewellen and Lodgepole, Nebraska, where he also served as principal.
It was in Lewellen, that he met Karen McCormick and they were united in marriage. They had three daughters, Keri, Rona, and Dana. Ron and Karen would later divorce. At a very busy time in his life, Ron decided he needed to go back to Chadron to obtain his master’s degree, driving back and forth three nights a week from Lodgepole. In 1967, he packed up his small family and moved to McCook, Nebraska, where he was principal for Eastward and Central Elementary Schools. He retired in 1995. Ron was past president of the NAESP.
He was united in marriage to Diane Callan in March of 1995. After retiring, they moved to Lake McConaughy, where he could hunt and fish with his friends. The couple later moved back to McCook to help care for Diane’s mother. In 1999, Eustis-Farman schools called and asked Ron to be an interim principal for a year; he jumped at the chance and loved it. He said that he was always blessed with the best secretaries and teachers to make his job easier.
Ron was an avid reader. He also enjoyed trapshooting, traveling to many events in and out of state. Ron suffered from Parkinson’s and dementia for several years, preventing him from doing the many things that he loved in life.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jess and Evangeline Clark; sister, Velda Smith and husband, Jimmy; brother, Dean Clark; nephew, Craig Clark; great-nephew, David Clark; and mother-in-law, Ruth Bridgmon.
Survivors include his wife, Diane of McCook; daughters, Keri Hammond of Lincoln, Nebraska, Rona Isaacson and husband, Bob, of Holdrege, Nebraska and Dana Clark of North Platte, Nebraska; stepsons, Darin Callan and wife, Cari, Derick Callan and wife, Tracy, and Dan Callan and wife, Carrie; eight grandchildren; six step-grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law, Phyllis Clark and Donna Fortin; brother-in-law, David Bridgmon and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. (CT), Thursday morning, September 2, 2021 at Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook with Pastor Steve Bales officiating. A private family scattering will take place at a later date.
Memorials may be given to the family of Ron Clark for future designation. Online condolences may be left at herrmannfh.com. Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel is entrusted with arrangements.