Clark Boers

Clark H. Boers, 96, of Peoria, IL, passed away on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, at OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice home in Peoria.

Born on a farm outside of Lacon, IL, on April 18, 1925, to Frederick and Rosa Ramp Boers, he married Jo Ann Watson on July 6, 1952.

Surviving are his wife, two sons, Timothy (Leanna) Boers of Denver, CO, and Jeffery (the late Kristy Preheim) Boers of Tacoma, WA.  Also surviving are two granddaughters, Caitlin (Michael) Mancini and Ella Boers, one grandson, Cameron Boers, and one nephew, David Boers.  Two brothers, Frederick Boers, Jr., and Norman Boers preceded him in death.

Clark was musically inclined, playing clarinet, piano, and organ while in high school. He played church organ in the Lacon Methodist Church during high school and college and went on to play at Morton United Methodist Church and Morton First Presbyterian Church. In 1943, he entered the U.S. Navy, and his ear for sound allowed him to become a sonar operator on the USS Destroyer Escort Howard F. Clark, serving in the Pacific theater. Leaving the service in 1946, Clark utilized the GI bill to earn a Bachelor's degree from Eureka College, the first member of his family to earn a 4-year degree.

Clark worked for many years as an auditor for Caterpillar Americas, retiring in 1983. Having gained a strong interest in all things automotive from his older brothers, he developed an encyclopedic knowledge of cars from the early 20th Century through the 1970s. He and Jo Ann traveled extensively via motorhome throughout their retirement, visiting and staying in numerous National Parks. Clark lived in Morton for more than 50 years before moving to Lutheran Hillside Village in Peoria in 2014. He was an avid reader and was known for always having a smile.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, August 21, 2021 at the Lutheran Hillside Village Chapel.  Private family inurnment of ashes will be held at 11:30 am on August 19, 2021 in Woodlawn Cemetery in Clinton, IL.  Memorials in Clark's name may be given to the LHV Foundation or the National Park Foundation.  To share a memory or send a condolence to his family, visit www.peoriafuneral.com.