Obituary of Melvin Clark

Melvin Eugene Clark died peacefully May 17, 2013 at his home in Boulder, CO. He was 96 years old. A memorial service will be held Friday, May 31, 2013 at 1:30pm at Cairn Christian Church, 1700 Stonehenge Drive, Lafayette, CO. A private graveside service will be held at Green Mountain Cemetery, Boulder, CO. Mel was a Colorado product. He graduated from Frederick High School and cum laude in chemical engineering from the University of Colorado in 1937. He married his high school sweetheart, Virginia May Hiller, in 1938. As a student, he was editor of CU's Colorado Engineer Magazine which flourishes to this day. He is a recipient of CU's Alumni Recognition Award, the Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award, the Centennial Medal and the 2005 George Norlin Award. During his career, he worked for McGraw Hill Publishing Company in New York City and the War Production Board, Chemicals Division in Washington D.C. during World War II. Mel reached the pinnacle of his career as Executive and Corporate Vice-President of Vulcan Materials Chemical Division in Birmingham, Alabama. He retired in 1982. He was a founding member of several national professional chemical Industry organizations. He is listed in Who's Who in America and the World. Mel was the son of a Nebraska pioneer family that homesteaded in 1872 near Ord, Nebraska where Melvin was born on October 2, 1916. He, along with his siblings and parents, made his home in Boulder when Melvin was four years old in 1920. His work took Mel and his family around the country and his retirement took Virginia and him to more than eighty countries worldwide. Mel loved his wife and family, his work, golf and CU. He had a very good life and Mel would be the first one to tell you that. Mel is past Board Chairman of Hillside Christian Church in Wichita Kansas. And at the time of his passing, he was a member of Cairn Christian Church in Boulder County Colorado. He is survived by his wife of nearly seventy five years Virginia, sons John (Sheryl) of Boulder, Walter of Lafayette, CO, Dale (Lynn) of Richmond, VA and daughter Merry Sue of Boulder. He is also survived by his brother Robert A. Clark of Berthoud, CO. Melvin and Virginia have six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Some of his great-grandchildren represent the sixth generation of Melvin's family to live in Boulder County. Mel's family is very grateful to the wonderful caregivers who have provided such loving attention to Mel over the recent years. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Cairn Christian Church, 1700 Stonehenge Drive, Lafayette, CO 80026. Memorial donations may also be made to the CU Foundation for benefit of the Colorado Engineer Magazine student scholarships. Checks payable to the CU Foundation should be sent to CU Foundation, Attn: Processing, 4740 Walnut St., Boulder, CO 80301. Please note in memory of Mel Clark. To make a gift online, access www.cufund.org/MelClark.