John Wesley Clark, Sr.

The family of John Wesley Clark, Sr., of Murrieta, California is deeply saddened to announce his unexpected passing on September 17, 2021 at the age of 62.

John was born on February 7, 1959, in Long Beach, California to Herbert and Kathleen Clark. He was the youngest of 3 boys. John was the kind of person people loved to be around. He was a kind-hearted, happy, loving, friendly, and helpful husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend.

Growing up, John had a fun and care-free childhood. He could be found riding his bike to Knott’s Berry Farm where his mom worked. He and his brothers would run and play all throughout the park. It was like a second home. He also spent his summer days playing at Disneyland. His best friend’s dad was the city manager and could get them in anytime they wanted. His imagination as a child instigated many adventures with his brothers and friends.

John attended Loara High School where he participated in football, wrestling, swimming, and choir. It was during high school that he met the love of his life and eternal companion, Jeanna Otteson. It wasn’t until a few years later, though, that their relationship blossomed. John graduated from Loara High School in 1977. After high school, he got his dream job working at Disneyland. He loved working there.

John was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.Throughout his life, he was always happy and willing to serve wherever he was needed in the church. His favorite calling was serving in the temple. After high school, he served a mission for the church in Cleveland, Ohio. While there he acquired the nick-name of Superman because he looked a lot like him. He was also somewhat of a superhero because he rescued a young boy from being sucked down into an operating grain silo. After his mission, at a church event, he spotted Jeanna again for the first time since his mission and thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He wasted no time and asked her out on a date that very next week. They attended Brigham Young University together and were married on March 7, 1981 in the Los Angeles Temple. Together they have 6 children and 12 grandchildren.

John loved so many things in this world which makes it difficult to name them all, but at the top of his list was his family. He loved watching his children and grandchildren do the things they love and cheering them on from the sideline. He never hesitated to go above and beyond to help out a family member, friend, or client. You could find him making a late night store run for that one thing you needed, giving an elderly client a ride, or helping fix something at your house. It didn’t matter what it was, he was genuinely happy to help. Second to his family and friends was his love for all things Disney. He lived out a life-long dream of going to Disney World this past August. He was also passionate about BYU sports and Angels Baseball. Whether you were riding with him in the car or helping him in the backyard, you would experience his favorite tunes from smooth jazz to disco. He also loved to play chess. He spent time teaching some of his children when they were young and later played chess games regularly in person and online because he loved it so much. He had a strong love for his country, scouting, camping, fishing, and large glasses of water. He loved every pet he ever owned, even going so far as sharing his ice cream, lick for lick, with his dog as a child. As he got older, he never lost his child-like exuberance for life which allowed him to find joy in the small and simple things. Because of this, and his constant positive attitude, he acquired the nickname “Jolly John.” John was all the good things in this world. He will be extremely missed by all who were lucky enough to know and love him.

John is survived by his wife of 40 years, Jeanna Clark, and his children, John Clark, Jr. (Amy), Jenae Evans (Michael), Jeremy Clark (Kelsey), Jason Clark (Zara), Julie Olivera (Cory), and Jamie Clark. He is also survived by his brothers Grant Clark (Christine) and David Clark (Bonnie), as well as his 12 grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents Herbert and Kathleen Clark and his nephew Robert Clark.

Funeral services for John Wesley Clark, Sr. will be held on October 9, 2021 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—Sky Canyon building at 38980 Sky Canyon Drive Murrieta, CA 92563. There will be a viewing starting at 10:00 A.M. with the last 20 minutes reserved for immediate family. Funeral services will start at 11:00 A.M.

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