Los Angeles
County
Biographies
WILLARD H. CLARKE
Willard
H. Clarke is active in real estate and for the past four years have been a
stockholder and an active associate in the firm of James I. Condie and
Associates, Inc.
Well
known in Alhambra, Mr. Clarke has been an active member of the Alhambra School
Board since 1947. His present term
expires in 1963, during this time he has served four years as President of the
Board of Education. He has contributed
greatly to the educational growth of Alhambra.
Born
in American Fork, Utah, on April 5, 1901, Mr. Clarke is the son of James H. and
Bertha (Jackson) Clarke. He was soon to
learn from his energetic father the rewards of his Mormon heritage. His father, a banker, postmaster, judge and
mayor in American Fork, taught and practiced the Mormon doctrine, which formed
the pattern of Mr. Clarke’s life. With
emphasis on education, as the search for truth, a belief in the freedom of man
and a practical welfare program for those in need, Mr. Clarke’s desire to help
and teach others led him to New Zealand in 1920, to serve as a missionary for
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he spent almost three
and one-half years.
Mr.
Clarke’s education was interrupted after his graduation from American Fork High
School in 1919 by his missionary work.
He continued his education after his return from New Zealand at Brigham
Young University where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in 1927. He attended the University of Washington for
his post graduate work.
Arriving
in California in 1928 as district manager for The Original Utah Woolen Mills
Company, he remained in this capacity until he moved to Kansas City, Missouri,
accepting a position as Midwest District Manager for Charm Products, where he
was employed for two years. Returning to
California in 1936, he again joined The Original Utah Woolen Mills Company as
Southwestern District Manager. He is
currently serving on the board of directors of this organization.
Mr.
Clarke’s activities in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints include
serving as Bishop of the Alhambra Ward for five and one-half years, past
president of the East Los Angeles Stake Mission, and are presently the
Patriarch of East Los Angeles Stake.
On
June 20, 1927, Mr. Clarke married Miss Margaret Woodruff in the Mormon Temple
in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Clarke’s
have three daughters, all of whom are married, Mrs. Margaret Hooper; Mrs.
Janice Mary Hackett; and Mrs. Emily Jane Squires.
Aside
from Mr. Clarke’s post on the Board of Education, he has served three terms as
Parks and Recreation Commissioner in Alhambra; director of the Valley National
Bank from 1946 to 1956, at which time the Valley National Bank merged with the
First Western Bank. He is now the
chairman of the Advisory Committee for the First Western Bank at 9th
and Valley Blvd., in Alhambra. A former
member of the Alhambra Kiwanis Club, he served on the board of directors during
his five year membership. For the past
two years, Mr. Clarke has been a member of the Alhambra Rotary Club. He is currently serving as a member of the
board of directors of the Alhambra Real Estate Board and the California Real
Estate Association. In this capacity, he
is presently chairman of the Salesman’s Council affiliated with the Realty
Board.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Historical Volume & Reference Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park,
Rosemead, San Gabriel & Temple City, by Robert P. Studer,
Pages 654-656, Historical Publ., Los Angeles, California. 1962.
© 2013 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPHIES