Jeffrey Arthur Clark

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Jeffrey Arthur Clark, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and uncle at the age of 70 years. He passed peacefully at home surrounded by his loved ones on Thursday, September 29, 2022 after a long illness.

Jeff was born in South Bend, Indiana and received his doctorate at the University of Illinois in 1980 before beginning his career teaching at West Virginia University. He and his wife, Jane, settled in Tallahassee, Florida in 1983 where he found his home as a Professor of Finance in the College of Business at Florida State University where his tenure spanned 37 years. Passionate about teaching and sharing his knowledge and expertise, he also served as a Director from 2005-2020 on the board of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Union.

A loving and supportive family man, Jeff lived his life for his family including his devoted wife of 40 years, Jane; his daughters, Kristen Jokela (Nate) and Katie Womble (Thomas); granddaughters, Aubrey and Emerson; and brother, Jay Clark (Beth); as well as numerous relatives and friends. He was a cherished son to his father Arthur Ransom Clark and his mother Doris Jean (Behrndt) Clark, who preceded him in death.

Jeff and Jane met on an afternoon in the graduate library at U of I after being introduced by a mutual friend. The introduction obviously made a big impression because after hours of study coffee breaks with a few dates thrown in, Jane vividly recalls the day when she watched him walk in to the library and thinking to herself - this is the man I’m meant to marry. It’s been a beautiful life.

Athletic and dedicated, Jeff grew to enjoy playing many sports. An avid baseball and basketball player, he also poured his passion and athleticism into track and tennis. Regardless of the sport, Jeff dove into each season with enthusiasm and natural talent, impressing coaches and teammates alike. In his 8th grade year he was recognized as the fastest athlete of his age in South Bend, Indiana. He always played with integrity first. When asked by his Little League coach to quit his church softball team so he could concentrate on one team, he promptly removed his Little League jersey, handed it to his coach, and said he would continue with his church league. Not suspecting that this was the choice he would make, the Little League coach missed his skill and leadership and came back to him a week later asking him to return.

In later years, Jeff could often be found playing a cutthroat game of HORSE in the driveway with his daughters, coaching Kristen’s softball team, dominating at croquet, perfecting his golf swing, and showcasing his (not so) artistic side while losing horrifically at Pictionary to his family. And while his expertise did not extend to the dance floor, he attended every single dance recital and competition (and there were many!) over the years. He was never happier than when sharing his time and interests with his loved ones.

A fan of many teams including the Florida State Seminoles and Green Bay Packers, his greatest love was the Chicago Cubs. Jeff’s grandfather shared his love of the team with Jeff at an early age, and they enjoyed riding the train into Chicago when they could to watch a game in person. Loving the Cubs, however, upon reflection, is likely the root of his notorious sports pessimism. Finally poised to “break the curse” in game 7 of the 2016 World Series, Jeff went to bed prior to the end of the game proclaiming “it’s all over” only to be roused out of bed at the insistence of his daughter, demanding that he get up and finish watching the game. Thank goodness, because the Cubs defeated the Indians 4-3 and Jeff was able to witness a piece of history that he had waited a lifetime for.

There were few things that riled Jeff up but, most memorably, squirrels were one of his few antagonists. When squirrels began jumping onto the roof and eating the paint on his house, his “solution” was to hammer nails through a board and place them under the windows to prevent the squirrel’s access to their desired snack. While a clever solution, he quickly caused the family to become the talk of the neighborhood when rumors began spreading that the nails were to keep his daughters inside their rooms instead of the pesky squirrels from further damaging the exterior of the home.

Not many people had the opportunity to see the full scope of Jeff’s sly sense of humor. Playing a joke on classmates when he was young, he unrolled a scroll of paper many yards long in preparation for a poem presentation he was to give. When his classmates groaned in anticipation, he promptly recited the poem on his pages, which read in its entirety: “The Antiquity of the Flea: Adam had ‘em.” A king of ‘dad jokes’ in later years, one of his favorite jokes included the ponder of how a thermos knew whether to keep drinks hot or cold. More of a riddle than a joke, the humor was found more in the frequency it was told over the years than in the actual joke itself.

Always ready with a random anecdote and an arsenal of stellar dance moves, he kept us laughing and retained his humor and joy until the end.

Above all Jeff loved his family. Nothing made him happier than being surrounded by his girls. He put them first every day and never missed an opportunity to support them. He will be deeply missed.

The family wishes to send a special thank you to Dr. Ashley Ghiaseddin and Valerie Layton, PA at UF Health Shands Hospital for the care and guidance they provided to Jeff during his illness. The gift of the extra years helped us to share much more time and make more memories with him. For this, we are very grateful.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, October 9th at 2 PM at Culley’s MeadowWood Funeral Home on Riggins Road for any who would like to attend. In lieu of flowers, should you wish to make a donation in Jeff’s memory, please consider Tallahassee Big Dog Rescue (http://www.bigdogrescue.com) in honor of his beloved Australian Shepard Sydney or The Glioblastoma Research Organization (https://gbmresearch.org).