Memories of my brother Edward S.Clark

Memories of My Brother, Edward Stephens Clark
(b. 06/13/34 d. 05/05/2006)
by
Marilyn Kauk

I have many great memories of my brother, although primarily of our early days together.

My first memories were in our home in Berkeley, California. Since he was 6 years older than me, we didn't really play much together, but he was a super big brother when it came to taking me downtown on the trolley car to go to the movies, or shopping for something special.

He was always interested in art, and I remember him showing me lots of his drawings. I still have two of his 'pen and ink' drawings, abstracts of flowers in a vase. I remember trying my hand at art, a "paint by the numbers" horse, with oils. I learned my early childhood lessons well and stayed within the lines. It looked awful, and Ed came to my rescue, shading the lines, adding highlights, and making it look like a real horse instead of a stained glass something-or-other.

During his high school years, he often took me with him to his church youth activities and parties. Since I was mature looking for my age, it didn't seem like I was too many years younger. Or maybe there were other reasons that I never knew. But I was always so proud when he took me with him. I even remember him taking me to see Liberace when he played at Berkeley High
School before he became famous.

He went off to college at the University of Redlands, so I saw him much less frequently. But I remember him talking about some of his classes and often about his professors. Dr. Umbach was his German professor, and he became close friends with him. He definitely influenced my decision to also attend Redlands.

From there Ed entered the U.S. Navy as a Naval Aviator. While he was in training at Pensacola, FL, he was a member of the choir. They came to sing in San Francisco one year, and Ed took me to see them. I was so proud when he walked me down the aisle of the theater; he was so handsome in his white Navy uniform. And when I was graduating from high school, I asked him to be my date at my prom - but he had to wear his white Navy officer's uniform. All the girls went gaga over him, so tall and handsome, so suave, a great dancer; I was the proudest girl in the room.

When I entered Redlands in 1958, he was on his first overseas tour on the U.S.S. Yorktown. He had a car that he wanted to keep but it would be unused for the 6 months he would be gone. So being the great 'big brother', he loaned it to me to use during my freshman year. It did have its unique idiosyncrasies like the headlights going out periodically, especially while I drove home to Felton at night for holiday visits.

While he was on the Yorktown (officer and pilot of S2F submarine chasers), he befriended one of his enlisted air crewman (Larry Kauk) and suggested he write to me as a pen pal. Those letters led to what will be 45 years of marriage in June. Airplanes, both models and regular, were the catalyst that initiated their friendship, and airplanes have been a part of our lives since.

When they returned from the Yorktown tour, I met them at the base, returning Ed's car, and meeting Larry for the first time in person. I had learned from Larry's last letter that he rode motorcycles (which I hated), but being the typical college kid, I made a large welcome poster with pictures of motorcycles on it, and tacked it on the side of the car. While Ed and Larry were still in the Navy and still flying together on the USS Yorktown, they flew their planes off the ship outside the Golden Gate to head to Moffett Field in Sunnyvale. Against ALL rules, Ed flew UNDER the Golden Gate Bridge. Luckily, no one turned him in or he would have made little ones out of big ones for a really long time.

I remember Ed and his wife Patsy coming to Redlands one weekend and driving me up to Big Bear Mountain, he found a dirt road and you would think his (mid 50's) Chrysler was a 4-wheel drive SUV. We gingerly crossed a wide, fast flowing creek, stopped to get wet, and had a basket lunch that they brought with them.

Ed was Larry's best-man and Patsy was my matron-of-honor at our wedding in June 1961. Larry and I had been married about a month, living in Las Vegas, NV, and he was being transferred to Louisville, Kentucky. On the way to the airport for Larry to catch his plane, our car engine blew up. Larry gave me a long kiss goodbye, promised he would call Ed to come pick me up, grabbed his luggage, and hitchhiked to the airport. Ed came right away, and amid the tears and fears, Ed calmed me down and made everything (including the car) okay.

When we returned from Kentucky (bringing our 6 week old son, Randy), Ed and his wife Patsy and Larry and I were constantly at either one house or the other. We all became bridge players, Ed taught Larry how to BBQ, and Patsy's family became ours too. We were all best friends. Summertime 1963 or 1964 Ed rented a small airplane and the five of us flew from Long Beach, CA to El Centro, CA to visit Larry's mom, step-dad, and sister. On the way, the engine sputtered, and we all urned white. There was no way we could die in a plane crash - Ed was such an experienced pilot! Then he remembered he had wo fuel tanks and switched to the full one. We were all finally able to let out our breath. Wow, what a scare.

Several years later, Larry and I had moved to Oakland, Ed was divorced, and flying transport planes for Flying Tiger Line to Vietnam. When he was in the Bay Area between trips, he would stop by our apartment and spend the night(s) on our hide-a-bed couch. We played '3-handed-bridge', among other things. But we always had a good time together.

Ed then moved to the Boston area and met and married Mirjana in 1967. That's when the 'twinkle in his eyes' became a reality in Conrad. They moved to Atlanta to enjoy their new family. I remember letters and photos of the places they took Conrad. Our dad went to Atlanta to help with some remodeling of their home. I recall their trip to Saratoga, CA in 1969 to visit us when our daughter Denise and Conrad were about six months old. I'm sure neither one of them remembers it, but I have a picture memory of them lying on the floor next to each other on a blanket.

In 1978 Ed married Carolyn in Georgia, and then moved to Los Angeles. We saw a little more of him since he was at least on the same coast.

Our son, Randy, remembers Ed buying him a whole box of balsa wood to build model airplanes with (our second generation model airplane builder). Randy now has two sons and talked to them about Uncle Ed when he got sick; he shared some of his memories of good times with him. The third generation model airplane enthusiast, Shawn, is as hooked on planes as his dad, his grandfather, and uncle.

Ed and Carolyn decided to make their dreams a reality by moving to Australia, buying a catamaran and outfitting it, and sailing around the world. They came for a last visit with us, our dad, and our brother Allen and his family. It was a very emotional occasion, knowing we would likely not see each other for a long time. Ed did come to visit us a couple of times in the ensuing years, but the visits were always too short.

The last time I saw Ed, I was able to stop by Hilo on my way home from an Asian business trip. He even rented a car (to make sure we had no car troubles) so he could show me the highlights of the Big Island. I thoroughly enjoyed our visit, getting to know each other again. I do remember Mauna Kea, Volcano National Park, a drive up the east coast of the island, and a waterfall. In 3 days we spent very little time in his home and we had a wonderful time.

I will miss him very much.