Donald R Clark , July 24, 1931 — February 27, 2019

WESTFIELD, MA – Donald R. “Don” Clark, 87, a longtime resident of Westfield, MA, passed away peacefully on February 27, 2019. Born in Windsor, CT on July 24, 1931 to Raymond and Alice (nee Thrall) Clark, he graduated from Loomis School in 1949 and Trinity College in 1953. Donald is a US Air Force and Air National Guard veteran, having attained the rank of Captain.

He joined the Air Force immediately after graduating from College. After he was honorably discharged, he joined the family business, owned by his father and an uncle. Clark Brothers, Inc. grew Connecticut Valley shade tobacco and potatoes in Westfield.

After selling the farm in 1975, Don worked for Consolidated Cigar Corporation at the Bissell Farm in Suffield, CT. He then became involved in real estate investing and development. A Freemason and a Shriner, Donald was a member of Washington Lodge #70 in Windsor, CT for more than 50 years.

He was on the board of the Connecticut Valley Tobacco Museum in Windsor. He was also on the board of the Shurtleff Foundation in Westfield and was Chair of Westfield’s Republican City Committee from 1988-1994. Don was a longtime member of the Westfield Rotary Club.

In 2016, the club awarded him with its 90th Paul Harris Fellow award. He was also an avid bowler and an occasional golfer. Donald’s children would like to thank the team at Caring Solutions, including Amy, Jessica, Ramjellys, Maria, Stephanie and many others.

He leaves his children, Morgan Clark of Agawam, Glenna Clapp (Kevin) of Pipersville, PA, and Heather Clark (Mytili Jagannathan) of Philadelphia, PA; a sister-in-law, Olga Ottaviano of Cheshire, CT; two grandchildren, Violet Fortier of Brooklyn, NY and Benjamin Fortier of Pittsburgh, PA; and seven nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his wife, Deanna Leiss Clark, his brother-in-law John Ottaviano, and his sister-in-law Yolanda Davis. Calling hours will be Monday, March 4 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Firtion-Adams Funeral Home, 76 Broad Street, Westfield.

The funeral will be held on Tuesday, March 5 at 12:00 pm at the funeral home. Burial in Palisado Cemetery, Windsor, CT will take place in the spring. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Shriners Hospitals for Children or The Trustee Deanna L. Clark/175th Anniversary Scholarship, Westfield State University.

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