Duane E. Clark, Titusville

Duane Everett Clark of Titusville, age 82, died Wednesday, September 2, 2009 following a lengthy illness. Born in Kansas City, MO on July 11, 1927, he was the son of Schuyler E. and Maude Clark. Duane attended schools in Kansas City and graduated from Southeast High School in 1944.

He attended Parks Air College for a short time before joining the Navy, where he was in flight training at the end of the war. Duane returned to Parks Air College and graduated in 1950, having married the former Patricia Ruth Cowan in June 1948. They moved to Minnesota in January 1951, where he worked for Northwest Airlines.

Duane was recalled to duty in 1951 and commissioned as an officer in the Air Force. In 1953 he re turned to Northwest Airlines and in 1954 took employment with Douglas Aircraft in Tulsa, OK. In 1958 Duane and the family were transfered to Cape Canaveral, where he worked as a scientist/ engineer on the Delta Program until he retired in 1986. He was one of the founding fathers of the Delta Launch Team, participating in all launches from Delta 1 through 178.

Duanes interests included music, fishing and his family. An avid fisherman, he took every opportunity to go fishing and enjoyed all types of fishing. In addition to singing in his church choir, he sang with the Tulsans Mens Chorus and Barbershop Quartets. He was a longtime mem ber of the First Presbyteri an Church of Titusville.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Doris Garrison, and grand-daughter, Rachel. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Clark; son, Michael Clark and his wife, Joni Beth of Lake Alfred, FL; son, Jeffery Clark and his wife, Karen of Savannah, GA; son, David Clark and his wife, Nina of Pensacola, FL; daughter, Catherine Linkous and her husband, Steve of Orlando, FL; grandchildren, Schuyler Clark, Joshua Clark and his wife, Alice, Brian Clark and his wife, Ashley, Kevin Clark, Laura Clark, Amy Simmons, Jason Linkous and his wife April, and Sar ah Linkous; and great-grandchildren, Catherine, Karson, Karley and Hudson. He is also survived by his sister, Donna Halliday of Los Altos, CA, and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held September 13th, 2 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 1235 Park Ave, Titusville, FL 32780. Private interment will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of St. Francis, 1250B Grumman Pl, Titusville, FL 32780. Funeral arrangements entrusted to North Brevard Funeral Home.