Clark S. Thomas, 94, of Springfield

Clark died Monday, December 3, 2012 at Avera St. Michael's Hospital in Tyndall. Funeral services are 2 PM, Saturday, December 8, 2012 at the United Church of Christ in Springfield. Burial is in the Springfield Cemetery, rural Springfield, with military honors. Visitation will be from 3 PM until 7 PM on Friday at the Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home in Springfield.

Clark Sampson Thomas was born December 8, 1917 at the farm 4 miles west of Springfield.  He was the second son born to Sampson C. and Ladie (Boyd) Thomas.

He attended Nile country school and Springfield High School, and South Dakota College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts in Brookings, SD.  He graduated in 1941 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture.

He enlisted as a cadet in the Army Air Corps in September 1941.  He trained to be an aerial navigator at Kelly Field, Texas.  On the day of his graduation and commissioning as a 2nd Lt., he married Neva Guptill at Travis Park Methodist Church in San Antonio, Texas.  Clark's first assignment was to Guatemala where he navigated B-17 airplanes on patrol duty around the Panama Canal.

In July 1943 Clark's squadron was returned to the U.S. and trained with the new B-29's.  In the spring of 1944 the 20th Bomber Command was moved to bases in India.  From there and advanced bases in China, the B-29s conducted raids on Japanese held installations.  In March of 1945 Clark was returned to California to help train new B-29 crews.  In September 1945 Clark was discharged from the Air Corps with the rank of Major.   He returned to his hometown.

Clark had always wanted to be a farmer.  In October 1945 he and Neva bought the Ira Smith farm 4 miles north and 1 mile west of Springfield.  This was their home for 36 years and "Cedar Farm" prospered under his care and attention during those years  Clark was a proponent of life long learning and took courses in home construction at the college in Springfield. He built a new ranch style house on Cedar Farm in 1971. In 1980 Clark retired from farming and they moved to the Armstrong School House which he had renovated to create their retirement home.  Clark made all the woodwork in that home, dubbed "Hobby House" from walnut and oak he harvested himself from local trees.  In 1991 they moved to a new home they had constructed in Springfield at 512 W. 8th St.

Clark was active in many civic organizations including secretary for Armstrong School Board, director of Yankton Production Credit Association, Curator of the Springfield Historical Society Museum, and various offices in Farm Bureau, American Legion, and 4-H Club.  He loved his home town and it showed in his many volunteer hours constructing the "old time town" and horse drawn farm machinery exhibits in Springfield museum.  He received an award from the State Historical Society in recognition of his work.

On July 21, 1918 Clark was baptized in the Methodist Episcopal Church in Springfield.  When that church disbanded, he joined the Springfield Congregational (now United Church of Christ).  He held many offices in this church including Sunday School Superintendent for 15 year, chairman of the building committee when the Educational wing was built and chief repairman for the Stained Glass windows.

Clark's hobbies included woodworking, stained glass, clock repair, and other crafts.  He made 18 grandfather clocks and at least 30 cedar chests for various relatives and customers.  He owned a sawmill and often processed the wood from cutting the tree to the finished furniture.

Clark was preceded in death by his parents and his older brother, David.  He leaves to celebrate his life, his wife, Neva; three children Marilyn (Nelson) Stone, of Springfield; Donald (Willene) Thomas of Friendswood, TX; and Carol Teal (David Joyce) of Newmarket, Ontario, Canada; bother Neil (Doris) Thomas, and sister, Eleanor (Merle) Toyne both of Springfield, and sister, Alicia Thomas (Judy O'Donough) of Mesa, Arizona; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.