Obituary of Francis N. Clark, Jr.

Clark, Francis (Frank) Nathaniel, JR, 92, of Lebanon, passed away peacefully Monday, December 28, 2015 surrounded by his loving family. Frank was born July 21, 1923 to Francis Nathaniel Clark, Sr. and Gertrude Hartnett in the small mining borough of Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania. He moved to Cranford, NJ when he was 16. Frank joined the army at age 19 where he served as an infantry rifleman stationed in Germany in 1st Squad, A-Company, 1st Battalion, 112 Regiment, 28th Division, VIII Corps, 1st Army, 12th Army Group during WWII. Frank was wounded twice in service to his country, first in the Hurtgen Forest then again in the Battle of the Bulge and was awarded the Purple Heart. Frank married the love of his life, fellow Cranford resident Joan Teresa Doyle, May 28, 1947 residing first in Fanwood, and later Scotch Plains. Together they had 8 children. Frank graduated Seton Hall as a Chemist. He worked at Baker Castor Oil, Celanese Chemical, Roux, Allied Chemical and Gravure-Flex where he acquired patents for his work in the emerging field of film plastics. He was a devout Catholic, loving husband, father, coach, and boy scout leader. Frank served as a trustee at The Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Scotch Plains, and later was active in his parish at Our Lady of Lourdes. Frank had a quick smile, loved a good joke, a piping hot cup of coffee, fresh water fishing, Yankee games, camping, and family vacations to Brothers’ Island in Canada. Frank was predeceased by his beloved wife Joan, and their young son Thomas Clark. He is survived by seven children including Joan (Robert) Bowman, Francis Clark 3rd, John (Ann) Clark, James (Barbara) Clark, Theresa O’Connell, Charles Clark, and Elizabeth (Paul) Mullins and 20 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. Friends and family are invited Sunday January 3rd from 3pm-7pm to Kearns Funeral Home, 103 Old Hywy 28, Whitehouse, NJ for Frank’s final viewing. A Christian mass of burial will be held Monday January 4th at 9:30am at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 390 County Rd 523, Whitehouse Station, NJ. Interment will be private at Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veteran’s Cemetery in Wrightstown, NJ. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to any Veterans benefit association. May you rest in peace, dear father. Thank you for your service. We love you and hold you in our hearts.