Earl J. Clark, age 89, of Traverse City, formerly of Lake Ann, passed away Thursday, June 27, 2024, at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City.  He was born in Cambria, Michigan, to parents Cleo and Pearl (Young) Clark.

In 1950, Earl and his parents moved to nearby Hillsdale where Earl attended school.  It was during his junior high years that Earl realized his true talent in woodworking while in 4-H.  He was awarded first place at state in woodworking.  During his senior high years, Earl worked summers with his shop instructors and three coaches building homes.  In 1953 and 1954, Earl designed and built a cottage for his parents near Lake Ann.  Earl graduated in 1954 and attended Western Michigan College, in Kalamazoo, in the Industrial Arts Program.  In 1956, Earl married his high school sweetheart, Claudette Bradford, and worked with/for a local Hillsdale contractor.

In 1958, Earl was drafted in to the Army at Fort Bliss, Texas.  He served with the 591st MP Company, reaching the rank of SP6.

Earl and his wife returned to Hillsdale in 1960, and he worked for McCall Lumber Company.  In 1963, Earl and Claudette welcomed their son Brian Keith into the family.  In 1964, Earl moved his family to Traverse City where he was employed at Brown Lumber Company for 33 years.  In 1965, Bruce Allan was welcomed into their family and Beth Anne in 1970.

When his children grew older, Earl bought a travel trailer and enjoyed taking his family camping all over Michigan and Florida.  Florida was where Earl enjoyed surf fishing.

When it came time to care for his parents, Earl designed and built a two-story addition to the cabin near Lake Ann.  When asked, Earl began a restoration project at the Lake Ann Museum.  Following this, he joined the Almira Citizens for Preservation to save the Ransom Lake acreage; this took three years.  For two years, Earl was president of the Parks & Recreation Committee at the Almira Township Park.  With help, a once-a-year musical was planned.  A stage was needed. With help, Earl designed and built a stage on a tractor trailer hauler, and Music in the Park was born.  For park use, Earl remodeled the ice skating shack into a snack shake for the baseball season.  With a lot of help, there was a bikers lunch fundraiser at the Almira Township Park to build a handicap dock at Ransom Lake.

With his family raised and his parents cared for, Earl and his wife began to spend 2-3 months camping in the south with their fifth wheel trailer.  Earl enjoyed ocean and gulf surf fishing six days a week.

When his youngest grandson was in the first grade at Lake Ann Elementary, Earl asked to have a bird house class near the end of the school year.  Earl cut out 45 birdhouse kits and enjoyed working with the children.  Earl enjoyed attending his grandson's baseball and soccer games, grilling hot dogs, and doing s'mores on the patio.  Earl's pride and joy was his woodshop --- sawdust and all!  For ten years, he and his wife had their own business: Wilderness House Folk Art.  Earl would cut the wood, and his wife would do the painting.  Earl also built (with help) two houses for his son and daughter.

Earl will be very much missed by: his wife of 67 ½ years, Claudette; son, Brian; daughter, Beth Anne; nieces, nephews, grandsons, two great-grandsons, and longtime friends.

A celebration of life for Earl will be conducted at 11:00 AM, Friday, July 12, 2024, at the Lake Ann United Methodist Church, in Lake Ann, with a time of receiving friends beginning at 10:00 AM and a luncheon to follow the service.

Memorial contributions may be made to Lake Ann United Methodist Church for the restoration of the stained glass windows.

Beacon Cremation & Funeral Service, Covell-Traverse City Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.

www.beaconfh.com