Erik Scott Clark, 71, Bourbon, went to be with the Lord June 23, 2016 with his family holding him in their arms.

He was born May 6, 1945, in Oak Park, Ill., he was born to Dr. Robert B. and Margaret Jane Scott Clark. On June 19, 1971, at the Evangelical United Brethren Church, Bourbon, with Erik’s father, Dr. Robert B. Clark and the Rev. Ed McClarnon officiating, he married Donna Lynn Miller, who survives.

He was a resident of Autumn Ridge Rehab Centre, Auguste Cottage Memory Care Unit, Wabash. Growing up as a Presbyterian minister’s son, he lived in Portland, Madison, Noblesville and Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from North High School, Columbus, Ohio and attended college at Parsons College, Fairfield, Iowa. He enlisted in the Naval REserves, then served a two-year tour of duty from 1967 to 1969 and was stationed at Great Lakes Naval Station.

Serving on board the USS Coral Sea, he was extremely proud of his service to his country and received an honorable discharge in April 1969.

he returned to their family’s Chapman Lake cottage Warsaw, where he spent many hours on the lake with his boats and working at Penguin POint, North Webster, as a teenager. He began working at RR Donnellys in April 1969, retiring in May 2007 after 38 years.

he was an avid Consumer Reports reader and was often heard saying, “Don’t buy it until I check my Consumer Reports,” words his children, April, Aaron and Alex lived by. He always took April out Christmas shopping, just the two of them. Aaron and Erik would watch football together. He shared his love of boating with Alex. In 1969 Erik was introduced to Donna by her childhood best friend Nina Young who also worked at RR Donnellys, and together their journey began.

His survived by his wife, his children: April (Eddie) Gibson, Warsaw; Aaron (Julia) Clark, Roselle, Ill.; Alex (Liz) Clark, Argos: six grandchildren: Tierra, Eli and Isaiah Gibson; Braeman, Annabel and Lela Clark; two sisters: Roberta Clark (Roland Ashby Sr.), Dunedin, Fla.; and Chris Clark (Bob Morrison), Selma, Texas; many nieces, nephews and cousins; an aunt, Emily Brown, Lebanon, Ohio; and two sisters-in-law: Rosie (Stewart) Snyder, Plymouth; and Gloria Jean Miller, Warsaw.

He requested no funeral services, so a celebration of life is planned with light refreshments and shared memories from 1-5 p.m. Saturday at United Methodist Church, Winona Lake.

Deaton-Clemens Funeral Home, Bourbon, is in charge of arrangements.