Roll Call Tribute

Donald Edward Clark 

November 29, 1937 - April 1, 2023 

Dr. Donald E. Clark, Ph.D. passed from this life peacefully on April 1, 2023, at Crestview Retirement Community in Bryan, Texas, after a short illness. Dr. Clark retired as a research toxicology chemist with the USDA Research Station in College Station, Texas, and as Biological Safety Officer for the Texas A & M University System.

Dr. Clark is survived by his daughters, Leslie and husband Joseph Provazek, and Emily Clark; brother Wayne Clark and wife Barbara; grandchildren Thomas Myers and Kimberly Myers and fiancé Aubrey Eubanks; and great-grandchildren Victoria Myers, Layla Myers, Coltyn Myers, Jemma Bonner, and Jaxson Bonner; several nieces and nephews and a great many friends. Don was preceded in death by his parents L.N., Jr. and Helen Clark; wife, the love of his life Dr. Joanne R. Lupton, and his daughter Janet Lynn at the age of 13.

Don was born on November 29, 1937, the same birthday as his father, in Three Rivers, Texas, to L.N., Jr. and Helen Clark. The family moved to San Antonio, Texas, on December 1, 1941 (just prior to Pearl Harbor) where Don grew up and attended Harlandale High School. Don attended Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) where he lettered in basketball and earned his B.S. Degree in Chemistry the summer of 1960 and continued his education at Southwest Texas State to earn his master’s degree in chemistry in 1961. While at Southwest Texas State University, Don took every upper-level chemistry and biology class offered at the time.

Don began his career as a research chemist at the USDA Research Station in Kerrville, Texas. In 1970, Don transferred to the USDA Research Station in College Station, Texas, and continued his research career there until his retirement. Following Don’s retirement from USDA, he continued his career serving as Biological Safety Officer for TAMU until both he and Joanne retired. Don was constantly learning and earned his Ph.D. degree from Texas A & M University in 1976 and became a proud Aggie. For a number of years, he served as an usher at Kyle Field for football games and G. Rollie White for basketball games.
Don and Joanne married in 1992 and enjoyed 28 years of a wonderful life together, traveling all over the world attending various conferences in connection with Joanne’s work and research as a world-renowned professor and researcher in nutrition. In 2014, following their retirement, Don and Joanne moved to the house of their dreams on Lake Conroe in Montgomery, Texas. They envisioned Joanne writing a novel and Don enjoying the lake, their boat and being retired. In February 2020, Joanne was diagnosed with brain cancer and lost that battle on June 17, 2020, and Don lost the love of his life.

Don moved to Arbor Oaks Retirement Community in 2021 and enjoyed his time there getting together with his “afternoon old men” group and playing his harmonica with several Arbor Oaks singing groups.
A memorial service will be held at Arbor Oaks Retirement Community Chapel, 2505 E. Villa Maria Rd., Bryan, Texas at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, April 22, 2023, with a private family interment of Don’s and Joanne’s remains at the Aggie Field of Honor, College Station, Texas.