John (Jack) Clark

Jack was a loving, kind, gentle soul and lived his life in service to others, always with a smile.
He spent his early years in New Jersey and Ohio. He graduated from Notre Dame University, during which time he served in the ROTC. After graduation, he served in the Army, and saw service in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot.
He moved to Washington, DC, where he worked for the federal and DC governments in urban planning. After moving to Arlington, VA, he met Retta, after which they were married at Georgetown University’s Dahlgren Chapel. They moved to New Jersey and then to North Carolina. They moved to Searstone Retirement Community, where they enjoyed a full and enriching life, filling their minds, bodies, and spirits. He took advantage of the many opportunities to thrive at Searstone, including playing bridge and poker, and co-chairing the non-fiction book club. But most of all, he cherished all the friendships he made there.
Jack held various positions with Vietnam Veterans of America, including Vice President and serving as a member of the Board of Directors. During that time, he helped numerous veterans, including participating in a ski clinic for disabled veterans. Later in life, he began teaching, for which he had a passion.
Even in death he wanted to give to others: He donated his body to Duke Cancer Institute in the hopes that the research on his body, which had survived 5 cancers, might help others.
He is survived by his loving wife, Retta Riordan, sister, Anne (Nan) Clark, three nieces (Kelly Viton, Jennifer Swanson, and MaryBeth Richardson), and many great nieces and great nephews. He was preceded in death by his sister Mary Noreen Froning and niece Pamela Miskimen.
A Memorial Mass for Jack will be held on March 27, 2026, at 11:00 am at St. Michael Catholic Church, 804 High House Rd, Cary, NC. Military Honors will immediately follow outside the front of the church for those who wish to attend. The service will be streamed: To watch the Funeral Mass at its scheduled time, go to the Parish Website: https://www.stmichaelcary.org/life-mass/
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Duke Cancer Institute online Make a Gift to Duke or by check (make checks payable to Duke University (EIN: 56-0532129), with a notation "Directed to Duke Cancer Institute".