Clark Holmes Byrum, Sr.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Clark Holmes Byrum, died June 2, 2023, after a brief illness. He was 87 years old. Born July 24, 1935 in Anderson, IN, he lived his entire life in Indiana. He was the son of renowned artist, the late Ruthven Holmes Byrum and the late Anna Mae Byrum. He graduated Indiana University in 1957 with a B.S. in Business, followed by a series of sales positions. He established Key Life Insurance Company in 1976. He became Board Chairman of American State Bank in Lawrenceburg, a position he held for 15 years. Following his retirement from Key Life and American State Bank, Mr. Byrum remained active in business throughout Indianapolis in a variety of real estate partnerships. Mr. Byrum was committed to an extensive list of business and fraternal organizations including serving on the Marian University Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, Board of Directors of the Indianapolis Junior Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors-State of Indiana Bond Bank, Association of Indiana Life Insurance Companies Legislative and Executive Committees and the Board of Directors of American State Bank. A long-standing member and alumnus of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, he served as Chair of their National Fraternity Audit Committee and National Housing Trustee as well as President of its Alumni Board at Indiana University. Through many years of service to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Mr. Byrum served on their Finance Council, Deposit and Loan Fund and Municipal Bond Oversight Committees. He chaired the Celebrating Catholic School Values Annual Dinner, was a Legatus Indianapolis Trustee and a member of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Mr. Byrum was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was married for 52 years to the late Joan Dalton Byrum, and he is survived by his children – Mary Ann Smith and husband Gordon Smith, Laura Manning, Kathleen Suss and husband Greg Suss, Clark H. Bryum, Jr. and wife Kara Byrum, and Amanda Montgomery and husband Rob Montgomery, along with 14 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Clark and his family were members at Immaculate Heart of Mary and Saint Luke’s Catholic Church. Clark’s passion for sports included decades as a squash player at Indianapolis Athletic Club and he enjoyed tennis and golf at Meridian Hills Country Club. The Byrums enjoyed time at their homes at Lake Maxinkuckee and Long Boat Key, Florida. The family will be holding visitation on Friday, June 9 from 9 am – 11:30 am at St. Luke’s Church, 7575 East Holliday Drive, Indianapolis, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30 am. To share a personal memory of Clark please visit www.leppertmortuary.com or to arrange a memorial contribution to Right to Life of Indianapolis, https://rtlindy.org/; Byrum School of Business Marian University, https://www.marian.edu/academics/byrum-school-of-business; and Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R., https://www.franciscansisterstor.org/.