T. Daniel Clark
T. Daniel Clark, 83, of Chagrin Falls, OH peacefully went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, November 19, 2024. He is survived by his three children Zena (Pete) Elliott of Aurora OH, Todd (Karen) Clark of Manchester By The Sea, MA and Julie Clark Brewer of Dover, NH. He will be missed by his five grandchildren Megan Clark, Emily Clark, Ryan Clark, Mary (Matt) Dimitrijevs and Jake Elliott. He is also survived by his two siblings Peter Clark of Newfane, NY and Barbara (Bill) Archie of Burt, NY. He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years Darlene Rosalie (Kolehmainen) Clark, and his parents Vernon and Rosemary Clark
Dan grew up in Olcott, NY. He was the first person in his town to become an Eagle Scout. At age sixteen, his parents put him on a train to attend Michigan Technological University. He was elected president of his fraternity Theta Tau, and in five short years received two bachelor degrees — one in Chemical Engineering and the other in Engineering Administration. At college he met and married the love of his life, Darlene of Hancock, MI. More recently, Dan devoted time and money to help rebuild the fraternity house at Theta Tau.
He started his career at Shell Chemical in Los Angeles, CA and eventually moved to employment with the Dexter Corporation where he would serve for more than 30 years. Dan’s promotions ultimately led him to run manufacturing plants in Olean, NY and Seabrook, NH. He then moved to Ohio to become president of Mogul, Dexter Water Management Division, in Chagrin Falls. He ultimately served as a Senior Vice President of the Dexter Corporation in Windsor Locks, CT and as President of Dexter Packaging Coatings in Chicago, IL. Dan was admired and respected by so many of those that worked for him. Even with the significant demands of his career, Dan found time to coach his son’s baseball and soccer teams and support his two daughter’s ambitions. He is remembered for going to great lengths to always be there for his children. In retirement from Dexter, Dan partnered with B. Peter Rohman and Robert Jackson to form NEXTEP Equity Partners in Cleveland, OH to assist businesses with strategic acquisitions and growth.
Dan was a devout Christian and served as a President of his congregation at Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Olean. He also served as President of the Kiwanis Club in Olean from 1981-1982.
Dan will be deeply missed by his children and grandchildren. He was caring and considerate and always put God and family first. He loved the outdoors, fishing, boating, skiing and golfing. His family will always cherish the memories of time spent with him at their lakeside log cabin in the Upper Pennisula, MI. We know he has been reunited with his wife and is smiling down upon all of us.
Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to The Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research www.give.michaeljfox.org.
Private memorial services for the family will be held next summer on the shores of Lake Ontario in NY and on Portage Lake in Dollar Bay, MI as Dan requested. Arrangements by Johnson-Romito Funeral Home, Twinsburg, OH. www.johnsonromito.com