Obituary of Ernest James Clark

February 5, 1928 - Victoria, British Columbia

November 21, 2023 - Calgary, Alberta

With great sadness and much tenderness, the family of Jim Clark announces his passing. 

He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Katie Clark, and by his children, Bob Clark (Claire), Edward Clark, and Morey Lucas (Ken); and by his five grandchildren, Sandy Clark (Lauren Wies), Peter Clark (Megan Kheong), Gillian Clark (Fortunat Nadima), Jeffrey Lucas, and Elizabeth Lucas (Brian Pendergast); and two great-grandchildren, Lachlan Clark and Ava Clark.

Jim was born in Victoria, B.C., but considered Pouce Coupe to be his childhood home. He later attended Strathcona School in Calgary and, remarkably, many years later, when the school moved to become Strathcona Tweedsmuir, bought the former premises to convert it to his family home.

As a young man, he was an instructor at SAIT, but then founded his own business in partnership with Tom Swanby which became Clark, Swanby and Associates. Jim was a qualified Alberta Land Surveyor (ALS), Saskatchewan Land Surveyor (SLS), and a Dominion Land Surveyor (DLS). He also received a master’s degree in town planning from the University of Toronto.

He was a lover of the scenic outdoors and special rural locations and towns. As an avid traveller, he journeyed around the world with Katie (her nickname for him was “Bagle”). They adventurously sailed the Adriatic and studied art in Mexico; they went to distant locations like Egypt, Australia, and New Zealand, and they made many visits to the United Kingdom.  They travelled most extensively in Canada visiting every province and territory. Though he lived in Calgary, he also maintained a “cabin” at Sylvan Lake. Jim was an ardent skier, tennis player, a qualified pilot, and baseball fan.

Jim’s love of the scenic outdoors was clearly evidenced in his painting. Though personally modest, he was justly renowned as an artist. His landscape paintings ranged in style from the realistic to experiments in the abstract. All were rendered with a love and respect for the places depicted. In particular, his works celebrated locations in Alberta. He continued painting to near the time of his death.

If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Canadian Red Cross at: www.redcross.ca.

A Memorial Service will be held at Christ Church Anglican Calgary Elbow Park (3602 – 8th Street S.W., Calgary, AB) on January 23, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. Reception to follow in the Crump Room at the Church . Family and friends who are unable to attend in person are invited to join Jim’s service streamed live (see below) on the day of the service. For those who are unable to view live, a recording of the service will be posted. Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Jim’s family here.

In living memory of Ernest James Clark, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.

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Click Here to view the Memorial Card for Ernest James Clark