CLARK SMITH by Dixie Plata – Pathfinder Historian
Clark was born 5 February 1918 in Dallas, Texas. In 1933 while attending the West Denver High School, he was in line to go to West Point. However, religious convictions changed his mind at the last minute, and he went instead to Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska. He then went on to Emmanuel Missionary College (Andrews University) to complete his B. A.
On 5 June 1943 Clark married Frances Louise Klooster. To this union two daughters, Bonnie and Colleen, were born. Clark was ordained to the gospel ministry in 1948.
Clark worked closely with Everett N. Dick in forming the Medical Cadet Corps (MCC) for youth in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. MCC gave young men and women an opportunity to learn Drill as well as receive medical training in first aid. With this training when they were inducted into the various military services they could proudly serve as medics and not be forced to carry weapons.
He wrote the first Drill Manual for MCC (1946)
When the General Conference Youth Department asked J R. Nelson, Pacific Union Youth Director, to get his MV Council together to write down what the various conferences were doing in the program called “Pathfinders” Clark was the Youth Director of the Nevada/Utah Conference and a part of the team.
He wrote the first Pathfinder Drill Manual with help from Henry T. Bergh to keep Kindness in the program, not just a military drill.
Clark was called to the General Conference Youth Department where his specific area of duty was to assist J. R. Nelson, newly assigned to the department, in the NSO (National Service Organization) work and to lead out in the MCC program of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
When Elder J. R. Nelson died in 1968, Clark stepped in as National Service Organization Director and held that position until 1980 when due to health reasons; he turned the heavy responsibilities over to Charles Martin. He stayed on as a valuable and knowledgeable consultant until June of 1982.
Clark Smith was highly respected by all who knew him, from those at the Chief Chaplains’ office at the Pentagon to the private in the barracks, whom he helped to get Sabbaths off. His life was one of complete dedication to God, the belief of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and to the youth and chaplains in the Military.
Clark died after a lengthy illness at Loma Linda, California in 1997
