Frank Adair Clark was born February 26, 1917 at the St. Anthony's Hospital, Hays, and passed away at the age of 96 in Salina. He was born to his parents, Frank C. and Grace (Billings) Clark. As an only child, he was raised on a farm 3 miles south of Ogallah before moving into WaKeeney. He attended Diamond and Silver Lake School in Trego County and graduated from Silver Lake in 1932 and Trego County High School in 1936.

In January 1937, Frank became a volunteer in the Navy for 6 years but was unable to complete his years. He then went to work for the soil conservation office as a supervisor and preparing ground maps of Trego County. During that time, he also worked for a bridge construction company. In 1940, he went to work at Riggs Tire Shop in Wakeeney. In July 1941, he was drafted into the Army as a "S-21-041", but received a disability discharge, so he went back to work at the tire shop.

On June 5, 1943, Frank married Marie Yanda, and in July they moved to Quinter to open a tire shop and gas station. In December of 1948, he sold the shop, and in January of 1949, went to work for Quinter Co-op as a manager 5 department. In the spring of 1953, he went into terracing business with his brother-in-law (now deceased) Edwin Yanda. In the fall of 1956, he sold his portion of business, and went to work for the power company in Quinter.

In the fall of 1958, Frank and Marie moved to Colorado Springs, where he went to work for the Maytag Company. During that time, he took courses at Pueblo College to get a degree in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning. In January of 1963, he went to work for Ft. Carson Military Base as an electrician, and later transferred to the refrigeration shop.

In 1970, Frank transferred to ENT Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and worked there until retirement in December 1982.

At this time, Frank was involved in the Knights of Columbus in Security, Colorado holding many offices in which he was treasurer for 10 years. He had a lifetime membership with the Knights of Columbus and retirement through Civil Service. During retirement, he did a lot of appliance and refrigeration repair and also drove cars for the Colorado Springs Auto Auction.

Frank and Marie sold their home in Colorado Springs and moved back to Hays, Kansas in 2004. He and his wife of 63 years spent their time traveling, spending their winters in Texas, California and Arizona. They have been to Hawaii, Bahamas' and spent several weeks in Prague with Marie's brother Albert Yanda, now deceased.

After a fractured hip in 2010, Frank moved to Salina where he has spent his last years at Pinnacle Park. Frank has made many friends wherever he goes, and he never meets a stranger. If he doesn't know you personally, he does know your family or relative from somewhere through his footsteps in life.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Marie in 2006; his father in 1972; and his mother in 1973. They both lived to be in their nineties.

Left to celebrate his life with all those memories are 4 nieces Carolyn Yanda-Haak of Phoenix, Birdie Noel of Wichita, Julie (Scott) Sheely of Minneapolis, and Kathy (Lance) Toguchi of Wichita; and 2 nephews Melvin (Lan) Yanda of Enterprise, Alabama and Jim (Indya) Yanda of Oxford.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, April 20, 2013 at Christ The King Catholic Church of WaKeeney, with Father Donald F. Pfannenstiel as Celebrant. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday, with a parish vigil service immediately following, both at Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th Street, WaKeeney, KS 67672.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the American Heart Association and can be sent in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th Street, WaKeeney, KS 67672.

Words of support and sympathy may be sent to the family at www.schmittfuneral.com.

Please take time to view a video created in tribute to Junior's life. Simply click "View Video Tribute" above.