1/29/38 – 3/21/20 Curt Clark, 82, a former resident of Santa Barbara, passed away in Bellingham, Washington on March 21 after a short illness.
He is survived by his wife, Jenny, daughter Emily Bennett, twin brother Bill, Yolanda Clark, Cousin Phil Halsey, nephew Jason Halsey (Kerri), stepson John Shull and three grandsons, Michael Dart, Zackery Bennett and Conner Shull.
Curt, born in Erie Pennsylvania in 1938, was the son of Walter and Helen Clark. He attended Syracuse University on a swimming and water polo scholarship and graduated from Bradley University in Illinois. After graduation, he worked for Westinghouse before starting his own business in Princeton, Illinois – Princeton Wholesale Electrical Supply Company. While living in Princeton, he also bought a farm and became a successful farmer.
He wanted to be on the ocean, so after moving to Santa Barbara in the mid ’80s, Curt bought a fishing boat and became a commercial fisherman. After fishing for several years, he was hired by Chevron to assist in the removal of oil rig platforms. After the oil rigs were removed, he was asked to design and deploy buoys over the remaining shell mounds to protect ocean-going traffic. Throughout his many careers, he never lost interest in trying something new. In 2011, Curt moved to Bellingham, Washington, bought another boat and spent years cruising among the San Juan Islands with family and friends.
Curt had a wonderful sense of humor, never lost his love of boats and the water, was fiercely loyal to his many friends around the country, protective of the people closest to him and did not suffer tools gladly.
The family wished to thank Bellingham Hospice for the outstanding care given to Curt. A private memorial service to celebrate Curt’s life will be held later in Bellingham, Washington.
