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Clark B. Johnson, age 78, of Lemmon, SD, was unexpectedly called to his eternal home with the Lord on August 29, 2022, at West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger, ND, two days shy of 57 years of marriage to his loving wife, Carol.

Clark was born on October 2, 1943, in Lawrence, KS, to Dr. C. A. and Ruth Johnson. As a child, Clark lived in a number of places due to his father's military service, among them South Carolina, Kentucky, and Wichita, KS. Clark spent his elementary school years in Belle Fourche, SD, and moved to Lemmon his freshman year, graduating from Lemmon High School in 1961.

During his senior year, he began dating the love of his life, Carol Hersrud. Clark attended the University of Wyoming, where Carol joined him in the fall of 1964. He graduated with a B.A. in philosophy and psychology in 1965. The couple married on August 31, 1965, and moved to Tucson, AZ, where they continued their education at the University of Arizona. Clark earned an M.A. in philosophy and completed Ph.D. coursework while Carol completed her degree. Daughter Heather was born in 1969, and the family moved to Sioux Falls, SD, where Clark taught at Augustana College (now University) for a year. The family then moved back to Tucson, where Clark continued to work on his dissertation. Daughter Heidi was born in 1971. The family returned to Laramie, where Clark taught philosophy at the University of Wyoming for a year before returning to Lemmon and joining Carol's father at Hersrud Implement for the next 20 years.

During his time as a business leader, Clark served the City of Lemmon in numerous capacities – as a councilman, as mayor for five years, as president of the Chamber of Commerce, and as chair of the economic development committee. He was the first president of the Lemmon Area Medical Association. Instrumental in community projects such as Capital for a Day and the Petrified Wood Park renovation (making it wheelchair accessible), he also chaired the Title I Learning Disabilities Program for five years and supported the effort to bring LIVE, Inc., to Lemmon. He volunteered as an astronomy lecturer for 10 years.

Following the closing of Hersrud Implement, Clark's interest in government and the connections he had met led him to a career in state government, mostly in the South Dakota Department of Agriculture, starting as Wetlands Coordinator and ending as the acting Secretary of Agriculture. Mediation was his forte.

After five years in state government, Clark obtained a master's in management from the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND, and spent the next 18 years as a college professor there and at Dickinson State University.

Throughout his career changes, the one constant guiding him was his faith in the Lord and service to Calvary Lutheran and the surrounding area – he was a deacon, council president, and lay minister to not only Calvary but other church communities, including Richland Lutheran for 10 years. Religion wasn't part of his upbringing, but he came to his faith through his study of the philosophy of religion and his relationship with Carol, who invited him to church during his college years. His service to Calvary Lutheran continued until his last days.

His deepest commitments didn't allow much time for recreation, but he was avid tennis player and enjoyed watching tennis and college basketball. He was part of a group that was instrumental in the creation of Lemmon's first tennis court.

Clark is survived by his devoted wife, Carol, Lemmon, SD; daughter Heather Johnson, son-in-law Ilo, and grandsons Rafael, Quentin and Luca Romero Lauro, Allison Park, PA; daughter Heidi Schrock and son-in-law Joel, St. Charles, IL; brother Dan Johnson, Scottsdale, AZ; sisters Karen (Isao) Uesugi, Upland, CA, and Carla Johnson, Spokane, WA; and numerous nieces and nephews. Through his interest in genealogy, he later came to know half-siblings Jean and Tom.

He was preceded in death by his parents (and the grandparents who had passed before his birth).

Clark had many interests and abilities and was a man of character, commitment, charity, and faith.

Funeral services for Clark will be held on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church in Lemmon with Pastor Charlotte Kvale officiating. Visitation will be from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Monday, September 5, 2022, at Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon, SD.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Lemmon EMT Association, 211 1 ^st St. W., Lemmon, SD 57638 or LIVE, Inc., 407 2 ^nd Ave. W., Lemmon, SD 57638.