A long-time Fraser-Fort George Regional District director is being remembered as someone who was as affable away from the boardroom as he was no nonsense while carrying out the regional district's work.
Harvey Stuart Clark died April 29. He was 76.
"We're going to miss the grumpy old fart," his family said in an obituary.
For some 30 years Clark represented Chilako River-Nechako (Area C). Over that time, he developed a reputation as someone who did not suffer fools gladly but had a soft side.
"He might've appeared a little gruff but he had a big heart," said FFGRD board of directors chair Art Kaehn.
Clark was the vice chair for 2007 and 2008 but his real passion was chairing the FFGRD's recreation commission. It gave him an opportunity to "work at a very grassroots level" with the community commission and recreation associations.
"He really enjoyed getting down there with the folks," Kaehn said. "You could never get that position when Harvey was around because he loved it so much."
Clark was very much a people person and would meet friends and acquaintances in the most unexpected places, according to his daughters.
"Whether it was the Island or just wherever, he just knew everybody," said Kelli Rud.
In late February, he went to Pine Centre to buy a pair of shoes but ended up in an extended "chin wag" said Carlene Jenkinson.
"He never did buy those shoes."
Clark, who was born in Vancouver, moved to Ocean Falls in 1966 shortly after marrying wife Sharon to work in the community's pulp mill. In the early 1970s, they moved to Prince George where he began working in the newly-constructed Prince George Pulp and Paper.
The parents of one daughter at the time, three more would follow.
Being the daughter of a regional district director meant "no phone calls between five and seven," said Kyla Demman. "Because that's when he would take his."
But for Clark, being a director "was never work for him," said daughter Kandace Goldstone. "He had a job, that was work. Being on the regional district was something he enjoyed a lot. He loved the municipal politics."
Clark's other passion was dog sledding. The family got into the sport in the mid-1970s when they were still living within city limits.
"We had two little husky puppies --Nishka and Nanook - and then it got bigger and we couldn't live in the city anymore," Goldstone said.
"We moved to Miworth in 1978."
Goldstone could remember as many as 30 dogs on their property during some winters. They would travel to races around the province and host fellow dog sledders at their home when a race was being held in Prince George.
"My dad would run eight dogs, when we got old enough and big enough, we ran six dogs. As little, little kids, we did a race with one dog," Goldstone said. "It was a lot of fun, there were a lot of good memories tied up in that."
It was a sport he continue to pursue until shortly before he retired from PG Pulp and Paper about 15 years ago.
Clark's involvement in local politics began when he became president of the Miworth Community Association and was subsequently talked into running for Chilako River-Nechako by another FFGRD stalwart Bob Headrick back when he was a barber at Parkwood Barbers.
That Clark and Headrick thought along the same lines was apparent at board meetings.
Perhaps Clark's most noticeable achievement while on the board was guiding Beaverly Volunteer Fire Department through its growth to what it is today.
"He supported us all along," said Beaverly VFD chief Bruce Perrin. "He was progressive in that he let us increase the budget every year whereas some of the others, they held it down because they didn't want tax increases."
Clark's long run ended in 2008 when he lost to Lara Beckett.
He found new ways to contribute, getting involved in the Elder Citizen Recreation Association and Friends of Children - a charity devoted to assisting families in northern B.C. who have children with an extraordinary medical needs.
"He liked to be involved in stuff," Jenkinson said. "He liked to be busy... he just enjoyed being able to help."
Clark and his wife, Sharon, also traveled extensively throughout North America before she died in December 2015. Along with his daughters, he is survived by sister Barbara Phillips of Prince George, brother Carroll Clark, of Whitecourt, Alta., five grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service is tentatively scheduled for July.
