Lighthouse Friend Lockwood “Lucky” Clark Passes Away
The American
Lighthouse Foundation and the national lighthouse community have lost a dear
friend.
Champlain, VT – Lockwood “Lucky” Clark, 92, of
Champlain passed away Thursday, February 5, 2009, at his home.
He was born October 6, 1916, in Summit, NJ, to Robert C.
& Erika E. (Hachmeister) Clark. In 1917, he and parents relocated to
Champlain.
His father began work in management with his
Photo by Yvonne Zemotel
Lockwood "Lucky" Clark peering through
the lantern of Isle la Motte Lighthouse
brother, Legrand, the principal owner of Sheridan Iron Works. Clark started
to work in December 1937 as a machinist and welder under the supervision of
Ben Dame. He retired in 1987 after 50 years of dedicated work.
Clark also served in the U.S. Navy and is a veteran of World War II.
He spent many hours restoring and maintaining lighthouses at Isle la Motte
and Windmill Point, Vermont. Clark was the first to suggest the lighthouses
on Isle la Motte and Windmill Point be relit.
On August 7, 2002, National Lighthouse Day, Windmill Point became the first
lighthouse on Lake Champlain to be relit, followed by Isle la Motte on
Photo by Jeremy D'Entremont
(L to R) Lucky Clark, Erica Bayer,
Claire Clark & Rob Clark
October 5,
2002. One of Clark’s proudest achievements was building the parts
necessary for the relighting.
He was
recognized for his maritime efforts by a fellow lighthouse lover, Coast
Guard Admiral Richard A. Bauman, of the First Coast Guard District in
Boston, MA.
Clark is predeceased by his parents and one sister, Erika H. Bayer.
Survivors include his wife, Claire C. (Bedard) Clark, and one son, Robert
Clark of Champlain.
Clark’s hobbies were antique boats, cars, trains, lighthouses, astronomy,
telescopes and welding. He also built multiple steel structures, including a
replica of the Isle la Motte lighthouse and a 165-foot TV tower.
Recollections of Lucky Clark by Jeremy D’Entremont, noted New
England lighthouse author and historian…
“In my years of researching and visiting lighthouses, I've never met a more
hospitable lighthouse owner than Lucky Clark. He had a deep,
genuine love for his lighthouses that was
clear to see, and he liked nothing better than showing them to others
who shared his
appreciation. He was a dedicated preservationist who understood that a
lighthouse needs a light to be fully alive, which is why he advocated
the official relighting of his lighthouses after many
Photo by Yvonne Zemotel
Lucky & Rob Clark at the base of
Windmill Point Lighthouse
years of darkness.
Above all, he was a gentleman in the truest
sense of the word, and he'll be missed.”
