James “Gunner” “Jim” John Clark, Sr.

James “Gunner” “Jim” John Clark, Sr., Senior Chief Gunner’s Mate, U.S. Navy (Ret) 72, of Dubuque, Iowa, formerly of Buffalo, New York, Zion, Illinois, and Kenosha, Wisconsin, passed away on June 9, 2026, after a night of being surrounded by family and friends. Gunner’s brief battle with advanced aggressive mucinous rectal adenocarcinoma took a devastating & brutal toll on him. 

Jim was born on March 19, 1953, in Lackawanna, New York, and was raised in Buffalo, where he attended Our Lady of Sacred Heart Grammar School & West Seneca West High School. From an early age, he developed a love for history, firearms, motorcycles, knives, cars, and service to his country; many interests that would eventually lead him to a distinguished career as a Navy Gunner’s Mate.

Known to many as “Gunner,” Jim proudly served in the United States Navy from 1971 until his retirement in 1995 as a Senior Chief Gunner’s Mate. During his distinguished 25-year military career, he served multiple tours during Vietnam, Desert Storm, and the Persian Gulf War, completing deployments aboard several vessels including the USS Hull DD-945, USS Marvin Shields FF-1066, USS Franklin D. Roosevelt CV-42, USS Callaghan DDG-994 and USS Texas CGN-39. For most of his career he served as a Gunner’s Mate, later taking on military law-enforcement and security responsibilities before retiring at Great Lakes Naval Station. Even after retirement, Jim remained a Gunner at heart. His love for firearms, military history, and teaching others never faded.

Following his military service, Gunner worked for more than 20 years as a Maintenance Technician for SBM Maintenance in the North Chicago School District, where he maintained high-pressure boilers, air conditioning systems and countless other systems that kept the schools operating safely and efficiently.

Gunner was a historian in every sense of the word. He seemed to know something about everything and could turn nearly any conversation into a lesson. He often said, “An opportunity to teach a young mind is incredible,” and he truly believed it. Whether he was teaching someone how to sight in a rifle, sharing history facts, explaining a historical event, or simply telling one of his many stories for the hundredth time, he loved passing knowledge on to others. That was until you started to talk back or think you were smarter than him.

He enjoyed building guns, collecting knives just to give away, watching the history channel, especially Ancient Aliens and spending time with family and friends. He was notorious for setting up BB gun ranges inside the house, organizing remote-control car races in the street, having a motorcycle (or 2) in his living room and a vice bolted to his kitchen table, keeping a spooky skeleton displayed in the front yard year-round, and enjoying a few too many beers along the way.

In recent years, Gunner found something special in his Dubuque neighborhood. What began as moving into a new home in a new state turned into friendships that truly lasted a lifetime. Jeff, Stacy, Nathan, Tina, and Griff brought joy, companionship, laughter, and friendship into his final years. He also proudly became an honorary “Grandpa” to Henry, Emma, and Harper, embracing the role with the same enthusiasm he brought to so many things in life. His family was jealous of those relationships, but they remain deeply grateful that he experienced such happiness and connection.

Like many people, Gunner was complicated. He could be difficult. His disciplinary style was stern, he held onto grudges longer than he should have, repeated stories more than necessary, and could be stubborn beyond reason. Alcohol got the better of him and cost him relationships and opportunities throughout his life. Yet beneath it all was a man with a genuinely good heart who was always looking for a gift to give, possessed a sharp wit, and had a sincere desire to help others.  Jim just wanted to feel wanted and loved.  Those who took the time to understand him knew his generosity, loyalty, humor, and kindness. In the end, those who knew him best considered themselves fortunate to have had the time they did with him—and wished that time could have been longer.  To hear phrases like “You look ravishing” or “Highly Handsome” just one more time.

Jim was first married to Sherry Malik (Seal) of Arcade, NY, and together they welcomed their son, Jimmy Clark. He later married Mary “Becky” Blough of Kenosha, WI, and embraced her children, Christina and Danny, as his own strictness.

Jim is survived by his children, Christina (Craig) Krausman of Dubuque, IA, formerly of Pleasant Prairie, WI; Danny (Bridget) Blough of Deerbrook, WI, formerly of Pleasant Prairie, WI; and Jimmy (Kim) Clark of Bliss, NY. He is also survived by his beloved grandchildren, Daniel, Carly, Liam, Rylee, Kaylee, Ellee, Michael, and Gavin as well as many nieces and nephews.

He is further survived by his siblings, Sharon (Joseph) Gentile of Ohio, Kathleen Clark (Kurt Amico) of New York, Diane Clark of Colorado, Carolyn Clark of New York; and his brother, Patrick (Laura) Clark of New York.

Having completed his final watch, Gunner now reunites with his sister, Nancy Baumann; his mother, Georgina Clark; and his father, Norman Clark.

One of Gunner’s favorite childhood memories was a playful rhyme from the 1950s that he insisted on drilling into the minds of young people throughout the years. Long after people forgot where it came from, they remembered hearing Jim recite it with a smile:

“Beep biddley oat and doaten,
Bee bop a nit not,
Eenee meenee sala meenee,
Ooh wala wala meenee,
Cooma lata cooma lata cooma lata vista,
Oh no no,
Not the vista.”

A Burial at Sea ceremony will be conducted at a later date during an active naval deployment departing from the Port of San Diego, honoring Jim’s faithful service to the nation he loved.

The family also recognizes that Gunner’s cancer diagnosis may have been connected to his service during Desert Storm and the Persian Gulf War. His willingness to serve his country came at a cost, one he bore with strength, determination, and dignity.

Fair winds and following seas, Senior Chief Clark. Your watch is complete.  You have stood your final watch here.  May your next assignment be with calm seas and old shipmates.

Online condolences for Gunner’s family may be left at www.tristatecremationcenter.com