Dennis John Clark (Denny/Dutch), 78, passed away Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023 in Bellingham. After a long 8.5 months following an accident, he is now reunited with Jesus, family, and friends.
Denny was born in Bellingham on July 3, 1945, to John and Anna (Wynstra) Clark. He lived in Lynden on C St. with his friends and relatives known as the C Street gang. He graduated from Lynden Christian High School in 1963. He married Sandi Smith on March 14, 1969, at Faith Reformed Church in Lynden. Denny and Sandi have two daughters: Kerri and Missy.
Denny had a variety of employment opportunities. He worked at Wagter’s Shell service station, Bud Noteboom Cars and Service, then at Lynden Sheet Metal. He became a co-owner of the business for 23 years where he oversaw and did the bidding for installing heating and cooling systems before retiring in 2000. He also was a deputy reserve officer for Whatcom County Sheriff’s department for 6.5 years before he started the reserve unit for the Lynden Police Department. He did this for 27 years with the Lynden Police Department before retiring in 2005. He served as a deacon at First Reformed Church and on the board for Lynden’s Dollars for Scholars.
Denny enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing, car shows, truck pulling (‘55 Buckboard with Bill Oppewall and Larry VanderHaak), demolition derbies and going to Kerri, Missy, Grant, Anna, and Mya’s sporting events, and taking care of his flowers and yard. He could draw out designs and then turn them into reality whether it was with wood or metal. Some of his work can be seen with the Lynden letters at the cemetery and the windmill downtown. He was a perfectionist, which served him well in business and at home with a reputation for a job well done.
He is survived by his wife, Sandi, of 54 years, daughters Kerri Clark, Melissa VanderYacht (Joel), three grandchildren: Grant, Anna and Mya VanderYacht, brother Don (Lynda) Clark, niece Michelle (Don) Boyd, nephew Aaron (Shirlene) Clark. As well as numerous brother and sister in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He is preceded in death by his parents John and Anna Clark and Uncle John and Aunt Wilma Wynstra.
A celebration of Denny’s life will be held on Monday Sept. 18 at 11 a.m. at First Reformed Church at 6th and Grover streets. Graveside services will be at 10:15 a.m. at Monumenta Cemetery. Gillies Funeral Home is making arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hearts That Hope. You can donate through Venmo: “Hearts That Hope Kent VanderYacht”, through the website https://www.heartsthathope.com/donate/ or by check and mailed to Hearts That Hope USA 1824 Front St., Suite C, Lynden, WA 98264. Checks should be made out to Hearts That Hope USA.
