Jason Lawrence Clark

Jason Lawrence Clark passed away peacefully surrounded by his family after a month long battle with COVID-19. He fought a fight worthy of his Marine status and was given a hero’s welcome on the other side of the veil greeted by his son Calvin.

Jason was born 11 minutes ahead of his twin brother Floyd. The two played and grew together. Going through elementary, middle, and high school by each other's sides. Eventually joining the Marines and going through boot camp, always having each other's backs, sounding the alarm when the other was in trouble thanks to their “twin powers.” Jason made many friends during his childhood in Midvale as well as the Marines and kept them throughout his whole life.

Jason served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Frankfurt Germany mission. This mission would have a forever impact on his life, later leading him to major in German and Political Science at the University of Utah. These two degrees took 12 years to obtain, giving us all a lesson in perseverance. Jason would serve many callings over the course of his life for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, his favorite being a youth Sunday School teacher and creating the weekly bulletin.

Jason loved the United States of America. He understood the privilege it is to live here and to be free. He volunteered his time to his local Republican Party and passed along this love of freedom to his eldest daughter, heavily influencing her career. Every Independence Day, Jason could be seen with fireworks, burgers, guns, and flags celebrating this great nation.

Jason was a jack of all trades, name any job and he probably had it one time. He was everything from a soda jerk, a jazz station radio host, a flight attendant, a mall cop, a mail man, a retention advisor, an insurance records collector, and finally a data analyst for the State of Utah in the Violence and Injury Prevention Department. One of the last jobs he had with the State was working the COVID-19 hotline. Jason helped give people information about the pandemic, helped them find their testing sites, helped elderly folks fill out their vaccine forms, he advocated for an Espanol version of the online form, and was a listening ear to those who needed someone to talk to during this time of great loneliness for many. He comforted so many during this pandemic, he eased their fears, being a calm and collected person in this world of chaos.

All of his many adventures aside, none was more important and brought him more joy than his eternal family. Throughout Jason’s childhood he went to church by himself many times, always longing to have a family of his own to sit with. He got his greatest gift in his wife Marsha. The two met in journalism class in 1989.

The two married in the Salt Lake City Temple on May 15th, 1995 at 9:40 am. Jason wrote in his journal that is was the happiest day of his life, because he would never be alone again now Marsha is by his side. In 1997 they welcomed their first child, a daughter named Sarah. Jason was destined to be an excellent father from the very beginning. A year later they suffered the unimaginable loss of their second child, a son named Calvin. Together they were strong and leaned on one another to grieve and move forward. In the year 2000 they welcomed their second son, Isaac into the world. And two years later their third, Joshua. The family moved to Springville UT in 2003, Jason had always wanted to live in Springville, often referring to Springville as the “Center of the Universe.” And in 2005, the cherry on top, another daughter Emma.

Jason never cared for titles, he never cared to be the most important one in the room. His favorite title, his most important to him, was Husband and Father. He was legitimately the greatest dad a child could ask for. He could bring a stuffed animal to life, he could do the most perfect Kermit the Frog voice, and every Christmas he would read, “Jolly Old Santa Claus” and tell us what each little elf was doing in the illustrations, making the magic of Christmas so very real. As his children grew up, he proved to be excellent with teenagers too. He handled junior high and high school drama better than anyone, teaching us to never care what anyone thinks. His home was always a refuge for our friends. He never made anyone feel like they didn’t belong in the Clark home. He went out of his way to make sure not only that his children knew they could come to him with ANYTHING, but also our friends, if ever we or they were struggling he wanted to help in any way he could.

As his children grew into young adults entering different phases of life, Jason handled this with excellence as well. Everything from being his daughter’s first male haircut in beauty school, to helping us find our first cars to buy, to sitting and watching every single ice skating lesson, to staying the night in the hospital when his daughter had surgery, to setting his son apart to be a missionary. Jason was never more than a phone call or text away ready and willing to help us with whatever we needed. He dropped everything more than once to help his children. He always stayed up to make sure we got home safely, wanting to hear about our day, no matter how late the hour.

The world was a better and brighter place with Jason in it. He treated children as equals, giving just as much attention to them as he would an adult. He never thought of himself as better than another. He was the king of the misfits, always extending the hand of friendship to those who had none. He lived his life similar to that of our Savior Jesus Christ. He understood the doctrine and spirit of ministering better than anyone. He could be seen on any given day talking with neighbors, visiting those he knew were struggling, and extending kindness and love to all who crossed his path. May we all take Jason’s spirit of love and kindness and be better to our neighbors, kinder to those who may be different from us, and always on the lookout for ways to serve others.

We would like to express our most sincere gratitude to the ICU staff at Mountain View Hospital. They cared for Jason and our family in our time of great trial.

Funeral Services will be Thursday August 26th at 10 am at the Hobble Creek West Stake Center 555 S. Averett Ave Springville UT 84663. Friends and family are welcome to call Wednesday the 25th at Wheeler Mortuary (211 E 200 S Springville UT) for the viewing from 6-8pm. An additional viewing will be held the morning of the service from 8:30-9:30am. Interment will be at Redwood Memorial Estates 6500 S Redwood Rd Taylorsville UT.

Jason is survived by his wife Marsha, his children Sarah, Isaac, Joshua, Emma, his father Joseph, his mother Deborah, his twin Floyd (Krissie), his sister Alaine (Michael), and brother Wesley. He is preceded in death by his beloved grandmother Mary Ann Lawrence and son, Calvin.