Thomas Gordon Clark, affectionately known as Gordon, passed away earlier this month on the 1st of August 2025. Born on the 7th of July 1932 in Montrose, CO, USA, Gordon lived a life that was marked by resilience, generosity, and thoughtfulness. He resided in Amarillo, Texas for the last 27 years of his life, where he was known for his smart wit and loyalty to those he held dear.
Gordon served in the Korean War from 1951 until he was honorably discharged as a SGT in September of 1954. His time in the army was marked by his resilience and dedication, earning him several medals including the Korean Service Metal w/2 Bronze Service Stars, United Nations Service Metal, and National Defense Service Metal. Following his military service, Gordon navigated his way through various occupations until he found his calling at his mother’s State Farm Insurance Agency in Dumas in 1969. His thoughtful and intelligent approach to his work led to many awards and recognitions throughout his career. After 28 years of loyal service, Gordon retired from the insurance agency on August 1, 1997. As Albert Einstein said, “Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.” Gordon embodied this quote through his dedication to his work and the respect he showed to others.
In his leisure time, Gordon’s interests were diverse and dynamic. From fishing, hunting or shooting at the range, to trading and selling cars, to being an avid reader, particularly of the Wall Street Journal and books about the war, he was a man of many passions. What mattered most to him was respect, a value he lived by and instilled in everyone he interacted with. Gordon was preceded in death by his father, Charles Clark, and his mother, Ruth Mendenhall.
Gordon was many things to many people. He was not only thoughtful, generous, smart, and resilient, but also witty, reliable, supportive, loyal, talented and full of spirit. His memory will live on in the hearts of those who knew him. As we remember Gordon, we encourage friends and family to share their memories and upload photos to his memorial page. Your stories and pictures will serve as a tribute to a life well lived, and the man who will be greatly missed.
I worked for Gordon many years ago and also took care of his father. He was very kind and I think of him often. Who ever wrote this obituary did a great job of expressing what Gordon was like.