Howard Elgin Clark

February 19, 1940 – December 13, 2024

In his 84th year, after a lengthy illness, Howard Clark passed away at Albright Manor in Beamsville on December 13th, 2024. Howard will be deeply missed by his wife Irene of 61 years, his son Larry and daughter Terry (Sean) Orsborn and two grandchildren, Lauren and Liam.

Born in Toronto, Howard spent his early youth in Brampton before moving with his Mom (Barbara) and Dad (Elgin) to run their dairy farm. Later, he met his wife, Irene, after responding to a notice she placed in the Free Press Weekly Farm Journal looking for a pen pal. Howard put many many miles on his much-loved Oldsmobile, driving between Ontario and Irene’s hometown of Clandeboye, Manitoba while they were dating. Irene was impressed that he was tall and handsome. The two were married soon after.

Throughout his life, Howard had a diverse array of careers. He started by running a dairy farm in Shelburne, Ontario then worked at Agriculture Canada in Hamilton where he teamed with a group of veterinarians to help control brucellosis. Howard was on the front line of the disease control and responsible for collecting and testing cattle blood samples. Later he led the Agriculture Canada Dog Detector program at Toronto Pearson airport, where he worked with his highly trained beagle, named Digger, to detect undeclared plant or animal products that may pose a threat to Canada’s livestock and crop industries.

He was never happier than when he was fishing on Lake Nipissing in Callander Bay, an area he visited several times a year for more than 50 years. Howard was very handy and enjoyed working on various household projects that ranged from plumbing, to roofing, to woodworking and painting to car maintenance and repair. He was also an avid baseball fan and cheered for the Toronto Blue Jays and on occasion the New York Yankees. In retirement, he enjoyed spending time with his coffee buddies and regaling them with his stories and jokes.

A private family service will take place according to his wishes on Friday, December 20th. If desired, memorial contributions can be made to the Alzheimer’s Society or the West Lincoln Memorial Hospital.