Travis "Trab" Clark

June 30, 1926 – December 13, 2017

Travis was the first of four children born to the union of Jewell Caldwell Clark (1904-1954) and Clara Bell Miles Clark (1906-1990). He was born and raised near Shelbyville, Texas in the piney woods of East Texas. He joined the United States Army in 1945 just as the Second World War concluded and was part of the occupation force in Japan. He received an honorable discharge and after returning home moved down to the gulf coast where he took a job with the Diamond Alkali Company in 1948. He retired from that company in 1985 after having built an impressive record of 30 years of perfect attendance – not having been either late or absent all those years.

On January 29, 1952 he married Frances Darlene Taylor in Tyler, Texas. The couple moved to LaPorte and in 1954 had their only child, Dennis. In 1955 the family moved to Pasadena where they lived until moving to Deer Park in 1976 where they continue to reside.

Sports were his passion; he rarely missed a Deer Park High School football home game from the early 1950’s until he could no longer walk up the steps of Abshier Stadium; he attended most of their away games as well. He loved to play and coach baseball and softball. His love of the game of baseball led him to take on the role of umpire in 1960. He umpired little league, high school and semi-pro games mostly on the east side for nearly 50 yrs. He umped games in which Nolan Ryan played (Alvin H.S.) and Andy Petit (DPHS). He was also an avid golfer (a lefty) finally getting that elusive hole-in-one shot. He bowled many years for the Diamond Alkali team and played in many tournaments. He also loved playing dominos (a master at Texas 42) and card games.

He was a forty year member of the Deer Park Masonic Lodge #1362 and a member of the First Baptist Church of Deer Park.

After retirement in 1985 he worked a short time as a surveyor’s assistant then spent the last 25 years in leisure. He and Francis travelled all around the country and visited nearly all of the great National Parks including some in Alaska and Hawaii. He continued to play and coach softball; tend to his garden; do volunteer work for various community groups; attend oprey events, rodeo parades and many other activities. He had a full, rich life.

He passed away on December 13, 2017 at Bayshore Hospital in Pasadena, Texas at age 91. He and Francis were just one month short of their 65th wedding anniversary. He is preceded in death by his parents, all of his brothers and sisters and their spouses; Henry J. Clark and his wife Frances (Aunt Penny); J.C. Clark and his wife Freda; and his sister Frances Laverne and her husband Nick Vitek. Also preceding him was his son Jimmy Lamar and special nephew Ronnie Clark (both passed this year). Surviving him are his wife Francis; son Dennis; daughter-in-law Sandra Clark; grandsons Kevin, Mike, Randy and Travis; several great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Also brothers and sister-in-laws Jack and Carol Taylor of Tyler and Sue and A.J. Howard of Kingwood; a host of friends – special ones being Amy and Gerald Clark and Carolyn Childress.