Victor Duane Clark

Victor D. Clark age 97, of Mankato, Minnesota died on February 9, 2019, at Hillcrest Rehabilitaion Center in Mankato, Minnesota.Visitation will be on Saturday, February 16, 2019 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am at the Alliance Missionary Church-Mt Lake.Service will be held at the Alliance Missionary Church-Mt Lake, on Saturday, February 16, 2019 at 11:00 am. The clergy will be Pastor Kevin Walzak. Arrangements are with the Sturm Funeral Home in Mtn. Lake, Minnesota. On line condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com. Victor ( Duane ) Clark was born on January 18, 1922 in Vermont Illinois to Frank and Sada ( Farr) Clark. In high school he was active in sports from basketball, baseball and tennis where he took 1st place in the county tournament. He worked for the CB&Q railroad in Illinois after high school and enlisted in the Navy in 1942 at Great Lakes Illinois. He served on the Henry R Mallory as Gunners Mate during WW2 later LST 137 after the torpedoing of the H R Mallory Feb 7th 1943 he survived along with 12 others on a raft in the Atlantic Ocean 500 miles off the coast of Greenland. These men were in the frigid water 8 to 10 hours before the Coast Guard Cutter Bibb checked for survivors. They were plucked as he told the story from the Ocean. He was honorably discharged in 1945. Duane, after serving his country returned to Illinois and continued his career with the CB&Q railroad working his way from "gandy dancer" on the section to retiring as Supervisory Agent in Canton Illinois. He married Lois Diffenderffer on February 10, 1946 at the Fandon, Illinois Christian Church. They were blessed with one daughter Tanya Clark Watkins of Darfur, Minnesota. In 1980 they moved to Darfur, Minnesota to be near there daughter Tanya and her husband Pete Watkins and precious grandchildren Jerris Watkins of Spring Lake Park, Mn and Slade (Kay) Watkins of Chaska, Mn. Duane's life centered around serving the Lord as Elder, SS teacher, numerous State of Illinois church leadership roles, too many to name them all. He accepted the Lord as his personal savior and vowed to serve Him on the raft Feb 1943. Grandchildren were a gift from God and he cherished them greatly. Duane and Lois traveled many miles attending all the school events of there grands, from basketball, baseball, volleyball games to music concerts and church events. He continued to attend events after his grands had graduated high school and moved on to college, he desired to support the youth of Mt Lake and the Christian School. Prayer warrior for his family, pastors, missionaries and the body of believers, he was member of the Alliance Church in Mt Lake, Mn. He is survived by daughter, Tanya ( Pete ) Watkins of Darfur-Butterfield, Mn plus the grandchildren Jerris Watkins, Slade ( Kay ) Watkins many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. Visitation 10:00 am - 11:00 am Saturday, February 16, 2019 Alliance Missionary Church-Mt Lake 809 - 5th Avenue Mountain Lake, Minnesota, United States 56159 Funeral 11:00 am Saturday, February 16, 2019 Alliance Missionary Church-Mt Lake 809 - 5th Avenue Mountain Lake, Minnesota, United States 56159