George Evans Clark

February 7, 1927 - April 24, 2020

George Evans Clark died April 24, 2020. He was 93 years old. George was born the seventh of nine children to David Harrison Clark and Ettie Mae Johnson Clark Wolfe in Tallahassee on February 7, 1927. When George was born, Calvin Coolidge was President of the United States of America. George was preceded in death by his parents, his stepfather, T.L. Wolfe, his grandson and namesake, George Patrick, stepbrother, Bill Wolfe, Mary Theola Callahan, Lillia Mae Clark, W.H. Laughton, Leonard, Jack, Kenneth, and Jeannette Akins. George is survived by his wife, Virginia Sanders Clark, three daughters, Maleta Jo Dunne, Regina Rummelhoff (Kirk), and Marketa Lovik (Dale), five grandchildren, Haleigh Franktoner, Ashley Hughes (Jason), Luke Borgan (Courtney), Erin Davis and Megan Lovik, and six great grandchildren, Ellie, Finley, Isaac Borgan, Zackary, Harper Hughes and Mavin Davis. George grew up in Tallahassee and attended Carolyn Brevard Elementary, Sealy Memorial, and Leon High Schools, where he met several lifetime friends such as Clyde Lee and Tommy Tomerlin. George joined the Navy Seabees during World War II and was honorably discharged after the War. He then attended Lively Technical Trade School and became a skilled brick layer, which led him to follow construction projects around the state of Florida. George was working in Miami, Florida in June of 1949 when he was persuaded to attend an old fashion revival meeting being held in a tent with sawdust on the floor and folding seats for the attendees. He was there owing to the urging of a fellow worker and good friend but he was not accustomed to attending church at all and had become quite vain, foulmouthed and indulgent. During his Navy years, he had learned to cuss a blue streak, drink over or under the table and championed being rowdy as a rite of passage to manhood. Although George was in the revival meeting he was protesting under his breath. His legs restless to leave he was overwhelmed with a heaviness of guilt and shame at the close of preaching. He responded (to his own surprise) to the invitation to receive Christ as his Lord and Savior. His life changed dramatically. His vocabulary, habits, and lifestyle in general changed for the better. He liked to say after he had gone to bible college and been ordained to preach the gospel "It’s hard to go to Hell over the prayers of a praying mother." A short time later in July, 1949 at a small Baptist church in Miami, Florida, George met the love of his life. George had been recruited into the choir and Virginia came with her sister to the youth activities. George and Virginia began to attend youth meetings together and participate in church outreach together until they were married in 1951. They were married for sixty-eight years and eleven months. George attended Bob Jones University and Warrensburg State Teachers College in Missouri. He was a preacher of the Gospel for more than seventy years. He pastored several churches in Leon County and he was the founder of Maranatha Baptist Church and Maranatha Christian Schools in Tallahassee, Florida where he served for more than twenty years. George was uniquely wise and witty. He knew how to give a soft answer at the appropriate time but also had compassion, conviction, and moral strength as an iron fist in a silk glove. He was a gifted pastor and evangelist in both home based revival meetings and also on the foreign mission fields of South America and Mexico. George also served as a volunteer police chaplain at the Tallahassee Police Department for several years which was then housed in the old Sealy Memorial school building on Seventh Avenue, where he had attended school as a youngster. He led several mission trips to Mexico and served for about ten years with New Tribes Missions in South America mentoring and training pastors to establish and operate indigenous christian schools. For several years George struggled with serious health issues which has affected his ability to enjoy beloved family activities, ministry, fishing in Lake Jackson and Lake Talquin, and camping at Hiawassee Georgia Campgrounds where he served as campground chaplain for the summer sessions. During George's eight years of illness his wife, Virginia, a trained and skilled nurse took care of George at home. True to her marriage vows till death she was with him for the surgeries, days of bedrest recovery, rehab sessions, dressing changes, special diets, and doctor appointments. George was a member of Seminole Baptist church in Tallahassee. A private burial service will be at a later date. George will be greatly missed by his family and many friends that loved him. However, he is with other family and friends that preceded him; To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (and other saints) II Corinthians 5:8.