Representative Joseph Warren Clark View All Years

JOSEPH WARREN CLARK

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character, and public service of the late Honorable Joseph Warren Clark, begs leave to submit the following memorial:

Joseph Warren Clark was born May 5, 1912, in Ottumwa, the son of Wycliff and Anna Burns Clark. He attended the Sacred Heart Elementary School and Ottumwa High School. He had to drop out of High School in his Junior Year because his father broke his leg and his mother was ill. He felt so strongly about his education that when adult courses became available he attended night school and received his diploma from Dubuque Senior High.

He married Mary Louise Spurgeon on February 28,1932, and to this union five children were born: Joanne, Mary Ellen, Catherine, David and Patrick.

Mr. Clark worked as a farmer, coal miner and iron worker. He helped organize the union at the Iron Works. He was the first Secretary-Treasurer of the C.I.O. in Ottumwa. He helped other companies to organize such as the Drain (which later became the John Deere Works at Ottumwa) and Barkers. He was vice president of the Iowa-Nebraska Conference. He worked for the improvement of safety law s and compensation as an unpaid lobbyist. He sold road construction equipment for fifteen years, was Weed Commissioner for Dubuque in 1972 and 1973, and was working for an asphalt paving company in Dubuque when he entered the legislature.

A Democrat, Mr. Clark served as State Representative from Dubuque in the Sixty-fifth General Assembly. He was re-elected for the Sixty-sixth General Assembly but died before he could take office.

Mr. Clark died of cancer in University Hospital, Iowa City, October 8, 1974. He donated his body to the University Hospital and his eyes to the Eye Bank. Memorial services were held in the St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Dubuque, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his son, David. Surviving are his wife, Mary Louise; three daughters, Mrs. David Johnson of Montpelier, Mrs. Dale Tharpe of Bellevue, and Catherine Clark of Florence, Oregon; a son, Patrick of Iowa City; two brothers, Phillip of Peru, Indiana, and Frank of Ottumwa; two sisters, Mrs. James Welsh of Cedar Rapids, and Mrs. Mary Walker of Davenport, and fifteen grandchildren.

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Sixty-sixth General Assembly of Iowa: That in the passing of the Honorable Joseph Warren Clark, the state has lost an honored citizen and a faithful and useful public servant, and the House by this resolution would express its appreciation of his service, and tender its sympathy to the members of his family.

Be It Further Resolved: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the House, and that the Chief Clerk be directed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

THOMAS J. JOCHUM

THOMAS J. TAUKE

THOMAS J. GILLOON

Committee