Donol E. Clark

Auburn - Donol E. Clark, CPO, 82, of Lewiston, died Wednesday after a thirty plus year battle with cancer at The Hospice House in Auburn with his family by his side. Born in Lewistown, PA, November 21, 1935, a son of Edward & Gladys (Hartman) Clark.

From Dad's Diary he wrote....I was raised in the village of Parchey Town. We had a one room school house and a county store. I went to school there for the first three grades and then for the fourth to sixth grades at Yeagertown. Grades seven to twelve was at the high school. I played football and wrestled and was also in class plays. Upon graduating I enlisted in the Navy.

In January of 1954 I went to Bainbridge, MD, for fourteen weeks of boot camp. Upon completion I went to Airman School at Norman, OK. It was an eight week school and then I was sent to Jacksonville, FL for fourteen weeks of Aviation Ordinance School. After school I went home on leave for two weeks. My first duty assignment after all the schooling was Adak, Alaska for one year.

After Adak, Alaska, I was sent to Moffett Field in California, assigned to Fighter Squadron 193. While with VF193 I went aboard the USS Bennington for a canal cruise. After that I went aboard the USS Yorktown for a six month cruise where I saw many countries of the far East. Upon returning back to the States I reinlisted and was transferred to the naval air station in Brunswick. While serving in Brunswick I met the love of my life, Annette Pouliot, whom I married on May 30, 1959. Upon completion of my tour I was transferred to Fasrun 105, Roosevelt Rds., PR, where we stayed for three years. I worked and ran the Air to Air Missle Shop. From there I was transferred to the USS Roosevelt CVA 42 where I went on a Mediterranean Cruise and I saw most of the countries along the Med. Upon returning to the states Annette and I went to the New York Worlds Fair.

I was transferred to Aviation Ordinance Class B School in Jacksonville, FL. After fourteen weeks I was ordered to VF-142 at Miramar, CA. Upon arrival we started the adoption process for my son, Mark. After that I went aboard the USS Ranger CVA-61 and went to Vietnam. I worked the flight deck in charge of loading and sending F4 Phantoms out on strikes. I had to ensure all those were armed and my ordinance men were safe. After six months I received orders to North Island, CA to Nuclear Weapons Training Center to teach. While there I started adoption processes to adopt my daughter, Donna. While at the training center I went to the Air Bases in California and Hawaii to teach and inspect. One of the biggest things that happened to me was the landing and launching off of a carrier. At the end of the Tour I was transferred to VP-23 in Brunswick, ME. This was my last duty station. I was in charge of all flight crew ordinance men. While in VP-23 I was deployed twice, once to the Azores and then to Sicily. I had over 1000 hours flight time when I arrived at VP-23. We were changing from P-2-V to P3 A/C. While in VP-23 I submitted my request to retire. Before my retirement we bought our home in Lewiston on October 23, 1973 and I retired from the Navy as Chief Petty Officer.

I went to work at UPS for 22 years and retired in 1995. Annette and I loved to travel and we also did a lot of wood crafts. Both Donna and Mark got married and gave us three grandchildren. On October 23, 2010 I lost the love of my life, Annette. Mr. Clark was a member of the Prince of Peace Parish at Holy Family Church for over fifty years.

Dad is survived by his son, Mark Clark, and his wife, Jonnie, of Lewiston; and daughter, Donna Bisson, and her husband, Michael, of Poland; three grandchildren, Johnathan Clark and wife, Monica, Glen Barry, and Sarah Clark; 2 great-granddaughters, Isabella and Ayvah; two sisters, Nina Tusset, and her husband, John, of Mountain Home, AR, Bonnie Clark of Tumwater, WA; a brother, Joseph Clark, and wife Judy, of Norwich, NY; his sister-in-law Frances Cloutier and husband Roger Cloutier, many nieces and nephews. A special thank you to the staff that cared for dad for many years at St. Mary's Hospital. Online condolences at www.thefortingroupauburn.com.

Visitation Fortin / Auburn May 25th Friday 5 to 8 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated May 26th Saturday 11:00 am at Holy Family Church 670 Sabattus Street, Lewiston, Maine. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Androscoggin Hospice House 15 Strawberry Ave. Lewiston, Maine 04240. Rite of committal Tuesday St. Peter's Cemetery.

A service of The Fortin Group Plummer & Merrill Funeral Home 217 Turner Street, Auburn, Maine 04210 (207)783-8545