Thomas Clark



Thomas Clark 32 years with the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard





SOMERSWORTH — Thomas Clark, 59, of Colonial Village, passed away surrounded by his family, Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007, at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital after a long illness.

Thomas was a beloved brother and friend, who went home to be with the Lord with his sister and brother-in-law by his side.

Born in Dover on Nov. 1, 1947, to John and Doris (St. Cyr) Clark, he attended local schools, graduating from Dover High School in 1967. In October 1967 Tom entered the Navy.

He served aboard the USS Borie, DD-704 until her decommission. He was assigned to shore duty at Glenco Naval Air Station in Georgia, where he finished his four-year enlistment. Tom was always proud of being a Navy/Vietnam veteran. He liked to wear his Vietnam veteran baseball cap. It was a conversation starter wherever he went.

After working construction in Georgia for a while, he entered Johnson State College in Johnson, Vt., where he earned a bachelor of science degree in human services. Tom spent a semester abroad in Nancy, France. During that time, on an extended spring break, he traveled widely in Europe.

After graduation he worked for a short time at the General Electric Company in Somersworth, before beginning work at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. In November 2006, he retired from the shipyard after 32 years of service.

Diagnosed with ALS in the summer of 2006, he fought a courageous battle against the disease. He participated in a clinical trial with thalidomide at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock ALS Center.

Tom was involved with the Granite State Post Card Collectors, the NRA, served on the Board at the Somersworth Museum until his illness forced him to step down, was a member of both the Summersworth Historical Society and the Dover Historical Society. He was a strong supporter of Help for Hospitalized Veterans and other veteran organizations.

His hobbies included an extensive post card collection, collecting Dept. 56 Dickens Village, reading, history, gardening and watching movies.

He is survived by his sister, Sheila Stunkard; his brother-in-law, Ron Stunkard; his good friends, "G.I. Joe" Dupuis, Sue Eastman, and Rosie; aunts, uncles, cousins, brother and sister in-laws, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

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A viewing will be held at Wiggin-Purdy-McCooey-Dion on Central Avenue in Dover, on Thursday, Oct. 4, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Mary's Church on Chestnut Street in Dover, at noon on Friday, Oct. 5. Interment with full military honors will take place in the new St. Mary's Cemetery on Dover Point Road.

For more information or to sign the online guest book, please go to www.purdyfuneralservice.com.

Family flowers only. Donations may be made to the ALS Society and Help for Hospitalized Veterans.