Joseph A. ?Bertus? ?JA? ?Sparky? Clark, age 95, of Kenneth, MN passed away peacefully on Monday, June 27th at the Royal C. Johnson Veterans Memorial Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD, where he received exceptional & loving care. Joe was born on June 19th 1916 in a farmhouse in rural Rock County. He was the son of Thomas ?Finn? and Anna Mae (Bartley) Clark. Joe attended rural grade school and graduated from Edgerton Public High School. He traveled to California and worked two years there before returning to Rock County to farm with his father. He then joined the US Army and was first stationed in Fort Lewis Wash. He returned briefly to marry the love of his life, Mildred Ida Gamber in 1941. He was then stationed at Fort Sill, OK serving our country as an officer during WWII. After his honorable discharge in 1946, Joe and his family returned to farming for the next 17 years near Edgerton, MN. He then left farming to begin a career in banking. He attended night school and in 1960 began working as a teller for Hardwick State Bank in Hardwick, MN. Three years later, he was recruited by the State Bank of Kenneth and became their loan officer and insurance agent. He was promoted to bank president and successfully helped orchestrate the opening of a branch bank in Leota, MN. After retiring from banking, he was able to pursue his numerous hobbies. Joe and his wife, Millie, of sixty-one years enjoyed fishing, camping and traveling the country together. With the addition of grandkids and great-grandkids their joys quickly multiplied. He later added coffee making at the Kenneth Coffee Shop and playing Quiddler to his busy itinerary. Joe was a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church in Lismore at the time of his death. He was associated with the Knights of Columbus for over 65 years. A past Post Commander of the American Legion post No. 42 in Edgerton he then transferred to the Legion post No. 478 in Hardwick. Surviving Joseph are two sons, Edward (Mary) Clark of Sioux Falls, S.D. and Craig Clark (Carrie) of Kenneth, MN; two daughters Karen Clark (Jacquelyn) of Minneapolis, MN and Cindy Pratt (Allen) of Maple Grove; his sister, Lucille Walgrave of Luverne, MN., six grandchildren: Kim, Phillip, Craig Jr, Alexxis, Joshua, and Caleb and five great grandchildren: Edward, Michael, Benjamin, Elyssa, and Isabelle. He is preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Millie, on October 18, 2002; oldest son Larry and second son Phillipp; his parents and his brother Edsel.