Clark Galen Hartford

April 7, 1933 – May 16, 2024

Clark Hartford 91, of Elkhart, Indiana went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, May 16, 2024.

He is survived by four of his children Michael (Sandy) Hartford of Benton Harbor, MI, Galen Hartford of Elkhart, IN, Brian (Thuvan) Hartford of Grand Rapids, MI, and Kimberly Buck of Elkhart, IN; four grandchildren Haylie (Jacob) Hinsey, Noah (Kristin) Buck, Ava Hartford and Nicolas Hartford; three great-grandchildren Juliet Hinsey, James Hinsey and Wesley Buck.

Clark was preceded in death by his parents, Homer and Edith (Compton) Hartford; his loving wife of sixty years, Avon Lee (Silcox) Hartford; their infant children Carol Ann Hartford and Marsha Kay Hartford; and son-in-law James Buck.

After meeting his wife and lifelong partner, Avon, at Ridgecrest Christian Conference Center in North Carolina and earning his Bachelor's degree from East Tennessee State University, Clark moved his family to Elkhart to begin his career as an analytical chemist for Miles Laboratories, later Bayer Corporation. While raising a family, he earned his Master's in Chemistry from Notre Dame University. While pursuing his PhD from Notre Dame, Clark responded to an urgent request from Miles Lab to serve as department head, necessitating him to discontinue the Chemistry PhD program, just short of completion. Later, his division of Bayer was sold to New Jersey based company Rhône Poulenc where Clark finished his career as a chemist. While there, he began his pursuit of an MBA at Rutgers University and completed his degree at Indiana University South Bend.

Clark earned multiple certifications, acknowledgements, and held patents for chemical processes he developed. As a continual academic, he sought opportunities to learn, often teaching these new skills. He earned certifications in welding, heating and air conditioning, and tax preparation with the purpose of helping his children and others. After he "retired" as a chemist, he worked for Jackson-Hewett as a tax preparer. At age 90, Clark began volunteering tax preparation services pro bono for those in need. For the past 20 years until his passing, Clark took great joy in influencing young people as a professor of chemistry at IUSB.

Committing his life to Jesus Christ as a child, he centered his life around his family and Christian faith. Clark & Avon sought to help those in need, worldwide, with a focus on missions and charities in Africa, including sponsorship of a family moving from Zimbabwe. Clark has been an active member at New Life Church in Osceola and regularly invested his energy volunteering at World Missionary Press to spread the gospel and equip Christians throughout the world.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Clark's church or ministry:

New Life Church, 11593 McKinley Highway, Osceola, Indiana 46561

World Missionary Press, 19168 County Road 146, New Paris, Indiana 46553

Family and friends may visit on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, from 4 pm to 7 pm at Chapel Hill Funeral Home, located at 10776 McKinley Highway, Osceola, IN.

A funeral service celebrating Clark's life will be held on Thursday, May 23 beginning at 11 am at New Life Church, with visitation starting at 10 am. New Life Church is located at 11593 McKinley Hwy, Osceola, IN 46561. Following the service, entombment will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, located at 10875 Jefferson Road, Osceola, IN 46561.