James "Bo" Andrew Clark's Obituary
James Andrew (Bo) Clark, Age 60, Passed away on Wednesday July 2, 2025. He was a lifelong resident of Tulsa, a graduate of Edison High School, a lifetime TU football fan and loyal Washington Redskins fan. He was born to Thelma and Gene Clark on November 11, 1964. He was the fourth of five sons. He loved the outdoors and treasured the family weekend trips to Grand Lake at their family cabin. He worked construction his whole life. Bo enjoyed working with his hands and the friendships made on the job site. He had a good heart, a big laugh and would give you the shirt off his back. If anyone needed help, he would be there. He is preceded in death by his parents Eugene and Thelma Clark and his Brother David Clark.
We all grew up on 49th and Boston just a stone’s throw from Riverside Drive. Our dad worked for Southwestern Bell and mom was a stay at home mom. Mom had a simple rule, when the porch light came on it was time to come inside. Otherwise we were free to have fun with our friends all day and have adventures exploring the Arkansas River. Mom and Dad never locked the front door and everyone was welcome in our home. We all played sports and settled our fights in the front yard with dad watching on and mom coming out to break it up. Bo was the fourth child to Gene and Thelma Clark born November 11, 1964. Most weekends were spent at Grand Lake at a cabin our family owned. Bo learned how to swim, fish, Ski and build forts in the woods. Bo like the rest of us was raised Southern Baptist. We attended Sunday school as kids and learned and spoke the Lord’s Prayer in School and at home. Mom believed that when you felt the calling of the Lord then you would be baptized. It is comforting that in Bo’s apartment we found an open Bible with the highlighted Verse from John 14:14 verse 25 “The Gift of His Peace”
Most people don’t know that Bo was born with Scoliosis. A curvature of the spine that caused him pain and discomfort his whole life. Knowing Bo you would never have suspected. He was as strong as an Ox and could work all day without complaint. Bo worked construction his whole life. Roofing, Framing, Stonework, Stucco, he loved to work with his hands and be outside in the sunshine. On the jobsite, he was constantly talking, laughing and cutting up with his friends. He was always willing to jump in with his brothers to help out on a family job. Reroofing a house, building a deck or cutting firewood to heat Uncle Baxter’s and Aunt Bonnies home in Kellyville. Working outside made him happy, but eventually it had a toll on his body.
Our mom always said that her Father A J Haley spoke like a sailor and Bo inherited that trait. Mom tried the usual methods of washing his mouth out with soap and tried several different brands. Ivory, Dove, Irish Spring and eventually Lava. None of them seemed to work. After one outburst, Mom made Bo put the soap in his mouth and he ate the whole Bar. Mom Chuckled and shook her head.
Mom always tried to teach us to be respectful of others and always say, “Yes Sir, No Sir, Yes Ma’am and No Ma’am and Please and Thank you” One day Mom, Bo and I were sitting in the Front room. The phone rang and I hopped up to answer it. It was for Bo and I hollered at him to let him know he had a call and went back in the front room to sit and talk with mom. Bo picked up the phone and said Hello and then for the next few moments he let out rant of words I had never heard before. At the end of the outburst, Bo said to the person on the Phone “Do not ever call me here again Sir…. Thank you” and hung up the phone. Mom looked at me and said, “at least he said Sir and Thank you”
Our home always had pets. Growing up along Riverside Drive we adopted lots of Strays. Dogs, Cats, Turtles, bunny’s, hamsters and even once a Tarantula. But the most unusual household pet Bo ever had was a Python named Monty. Bo brought Monty home from school. All three feet of snake that he would try to sneak in school around his waist. When Mr. Duncan the school vice –principal called our mom and she had to go pick them both up from school. Mom was not happy, but She let Bo keep the snake and made him promise to feed it and keep it in a cage at home. We had several aquariums from all the fish we had had over the years, so it was no problem keeping him in a cage starting off. The problem was Monty kept growing. Python’s eat rodents, so Bo would go buy mice from the local pet store to feed the snake. Eventually this became too expensive, so Bo started breeding mice for his snake. As the snake grew, the mice were not enough, so Bo started breeding rats to feed Monty. Mom was not happy and eventually quit going upstairs. Monty out grew the aquarium too. Eventually, Monty’s home was a converted Couch frame with screen doors surrounding it. The snake would break out of its cage often. You would be lying on the floor watching TV and it would slither over the top of the couch and coffee table and hiss at you. Sometimes you would find Monty under the couch cushions curled up sleeping. Mom and Dad were not happy and Bo had to continually reinforce the cage to make it stronger. After one Easter, one of Bo’s friends gave him some baby Chicks they had gotten as Easter gifts. Bo put the chicks in Monty’s cage and Monty was not hungry. The Chicks Chirped for a day and Mom made Bo take them out and we had chickens in our back yard all summer. The unexpected bonus of raising Chickens in our back yard was that our Dad taught us how to hypnotize them. At the end of the summer the Chickens went to Uncle Baxter’s farm and after a couple of years Monty passed away.
When Bo measured him and Monty had grown to over 22 feet long. All of the rodents were donated to a local animal rescue and Mom put an end to having Snakes in the house.
When I was fifteen I went to work for Bo’s Friend Paul Drake. Paul had hired Bo for the summer to Roof houses and they needed someone to do Ground work. Ground work is picking up after the two of them on the job site. I got to spend the whole summer working with my brother. Sun up to Sun down, Job to Job. The only breaks we got was when it rained or between jobs. The work was hot and dirty. Bo loved it. He and Paul would laugh and talk all day while they worked. They would shoot staples at each other and me picking up after them on the ground. It made me understand the work ethic that Dad instilled in us. You finish the job, you don’t quit and you don’t complain. It was the most money I had ever made on a summer job and helped me make up my mind that I wanted to work an inside job after that and go to College.
Our mom was diagnosed with Cancer in 1998. She had Chemotherapy and beat it for over a year. In 1999 on a checkup the cancer had returned and spread throughout her body. Eventually, she was placed in hospice in her home. Bo lived there and stayed with mom those last few weeks of her life. All of the bothers and our wives took turns taking care of mom. Bo would often sleep at the foot of her bed in case she asked for anything. She eventually passed away on July 20, 2000. She was with Dad and we were all with her at home in the end. Bo wore his heart on his sleeve and mom’s death was very hard on all of us. I was always thankful that he hardly left her side and was a sense of comfort to her.
Unfortunately some people take advantage of people's passing and break into their homes after a loved one has passed. This happened at our house in the middle of the night. The thieves were in for a surprise because awaiting them was my Brother Bo awoken out of his sleep and angry. I cannot imagine what those thieves were thinking when a 200 plus pound shirtless mad man screaming every word in the book at them to get out of his mom’s house and don’t come back. I imagine they are thankful Bo didn’t get a hold of them and they hopefully had a change of heart and would not do this type of crime again.
The Christmas before last we found out my brother Dave was in the hospital in the ICU. He had been fighting a pulmonary infection and had been intubated. The Doctors said his lungs were so badly damaged he would never be able to breathe again. Darla and her family were devastated and the whole family visited Dave and said our goodbyes. We all took turns staying with him until the end. Bo and I were in the room when he peacefully passed. We held his hand and when he was gone we made the necessary calls to the family. I took Bo home to his apartment and he was trying to cheer me up saying Dave was in a better place and he was with Mom and Dad. We spoke on the phone several times after that until Bo heard of the passing of his Friend Aaron. Bo called me and said the feelings of losing them both were too much and he needed to be by himself for a while. I said I understood, but he needs to speak to someone. He said he would and would reach out to me when he was in a better place. I found out that Bo had been speaking to a therapist, Molly and Maddie, Bob and Zac. I am glad he worked out his feelings and reached out to family and friends.
Bo would always call me and the family on or around our birthdays. Sometimes he was early and sometimes he was a month or so late. I appreciated the effort and enjoyed his fast paced conversation. He always tried to get the whole conversation in about 30 seconds. Sometimes I could understand him and most of the time I was trying to slow him down so I could understand him. He would always update me on what he was doing; working a job somewhere, and where he was living. He always asked about my family and how we were doing. The last call I received was on June 1st when he was asking for our Older Brother John’s phone number to call him to wish him happy birthday. Yes, he got it right on the nose. June 1st was John’s birthday. I gave him the number I had and he had to go, but He ended the call the same way he had all the other times, saying “ Love you brother” and I would reply "I love you too".
Bo is survived by his Brothers and their families; John and Shirley Clark, Sister in law Darla Clark, Robert and Veronica Clark and Thomas and Terri Clark. Nieces and Nephews: Amy and Matthew Clark, Darci and Zachary Clark; Grant, Garrett and Gavin Clark; and Ethan and Connor Clark. Plus “bonus” Daughters Molly and Maddie McCrate and several friends and family.
Bible Verses highlighted in Bo’s Bible
John 14: verses 25-27 The Gift of His Peace
“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give you.
John 14:13 verse 12 The Answered Prayer
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
A celebration of life graveside service will be held at 10:00 am, Thursday, July 17, 2025. At the Garden of the Last Supper feature pad in Floral Haven Memorial Gardens, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
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