James Douglas Clark, Jr.

James Douglas Clark, Jr. passed away peacefully on Friday, Nov. 17, 2023, at the age of 87, in Billings, Montana.

He is survived by his wife, Judy Senteney; his sons, Kenneth Clark (Patricia Clark), Douglas Clark (Monica Clark); his daughters, Andrea Fiscus (Kevin Fiscus) and Heather Mace (Tom Mace); and grandchildren, James L. Clark, Holly Hardie (Brandon Hardie), Allen Clark (Kana Ito), Kirsi Hussa (Kurtis McStay), Kadie Fischer, Kaleigh Flynn and Ryan Flynn.

Jim was born in San Diego, California, on Aug. 23, 1936. He attended Hoover High School. He served in the Coast Guard Reserves from 1954 to 1962. He earned a teaching degree and Master of Industrial Arts at San Diego State College (now San Diego State University). He loved teaching physical science and auto shop to high school students in the San Diego Unified School District. He married his first wife, Barbara Pinnell, in 1957 and they raised their two sons in Lakeside, California. He and Judy married in 1986 and they moved to Montana in 2004.

His love of science and general curiosity about how things work continued throughout his life as he pursued hobbies and interests as varied as precision machine tool restoration, woodworking, astronomy, electronics, airplanes, classic automobiles, photography, microscopy and shooting sports, especially air guns and black powder rifles. Through these pursuits, he built and nurtured lasting friendships in his neighborhood and around the world, often making long road trips to visit others with similar interests.

His love and appreciation for family inspired in them a sense that “Together, we can do this” as they faced challenges ranging from as small as plugged kitchen plumbing or car trouble, to as large as pursuit of advanced education to support a career change.

Jim will be missed by his family and friends, but they will remember and benefit from his lifelong passion for learning.