C.L. was born near Paxico on the Snokomo in Wabaunsee County, Kansas, on January 18, 1908, the son of John and Amy Clark. He graduated from Paxico Rural High School in 1926, and received a law degree from Washburn University Law School in 1931. He served as Saline County Attorney; and later, was City Attorney for Salina for a number of years. At the onset of World War II, C.L. entered the Navy and served in the Atlantic on a destroyer escort.

On March 1, 1946, after returning from the service, Mr. Clark and James P. Mize, who had recently moved to Salina, joined to form the law partnership of Clark, Mize. They practiced together for 42 years. The firm's name was later changed in October 1971 to Clark, Mize & Linville, Chartered; and now is in it's 58th year in Salina. Mr. Clark maintained an office at the firm until 1999.

Mr. Clark was known as a leading banking, business, and corporate lawyer; and , served on the Sunflower (formerly the First National Bank) Board of Directors for 20 years. He also served as on the boards of several other private foundations and organizations; and, in earlier years, was active in Democratic politics. He served as President of the Jefferson Jackson Day organization.

C.L. loved the Rocky Mountains and learned to angle for trout in the late 1930's, a love which lasted for his lifetime. C.L. was at home thigh-deep in rivers from Yugoslavia to Ireland, England, Iceland, Scotland, Alaska, Chile, and British Columbia, always returning to his beloved home in Salina, and his precious hunting dogs. C.L. and his brother-in-law, Lee Marshall, and a number of their friends, including Dee Norris, Bill Mowery, Jack Fleming, C.J. Hamm, Frank Lombard, and a number of others, packed into the Wind River Range 13 times. His good friend, guide, and writer, Scott Waldie, resolved the mystery as to what C.L. stood for - "Catch 'em and let 'em go."

C.L. is survived by his beloved wife, Constance M. Achterberg-Clark; son Duane Clark and his wife Marty of Tucson, Arizona; daughter Diana Hartmetz (Clark) of Wichita; three grandsons, Bruce Hartmetz and his wife Vicki of Aurora, Colorado; Chris Hartmetz of Wichita; and Anthony Clark and his wife Tracy of Tucson, Arizona; four granddaughters, Amy Haught (Hartmetz) and her husband Michael of Wichita; Emily Latta (Hartmetz) and her husband Bruce of Maryland; Athena DeLay (Clark) and her husband Darren of Tucson, Arizona; and Cindy Clark of Tucson, Arizona; and ten great-grandchildren, as well as his nephews, J.P. Clark of Clarinda, Iowa, Larry Marshall of Salina, Clark Marshall of Rapid City, South Dakota, and Scott Marshall of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Services will be held at Christ Cathedral, 138 S. 8th, Salina, at 11:00 a.m. Friday, July 30, 2004. The Very Reverend Timothy Kline will preside. Burial will be at Gypsum Hill Cemetery, Salina.

Memorials can be given to Christ Episcopal Cathedral, 138 S. 8th, Salina, and/or Salina Community Foundation, P.O. Box 2876, Salina, KS 67402-2987.