Jerry K. "Yogi" Clark, 68, Adrian, MO, died Sunday, August 23, 2009 at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, MO. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, August 28, 2009 at the Adrian Optimist Building in Adrian, MO. Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, August 27, also at the Adrian Optimist Building. Burial will be in Crescent Hill Cemetery, Adrian. Memorial contributions may be made to Boy Scout Troop 238, Adrian, MO, c/o Atkinson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 325, Adrian, MO 64720.

Yogi was born on November 16, 1940 at the Burdette family home and was a lifelong resident of the Adrian/Burdette community. He was the fourth of five children born to Roy Z. and Millie (Ketner) Clark. On August 20, 1973 he was united in marriage to Karen Sterns and to this union two children were born, Joe and Eve.

Yogi grew up in the Burdette community and graduated from Adrian High School in 1958. Along with other local historical events, he prided himself on the fact that he could recall the year of almost any AHS graduate and others that were in the same class. When it came to local events and history, Yogi was a wealth of information.

This past winter at the "Adrian Optimist Quiz Bowl" along with other dates, Yogi was able to recite the year that The Adrian Bit and Spur Club was established and those involved with its beginning. To some folks this would be just a piece of useless information. To others it is an example of Yogi's connection to a community that he loved.

Yogi drove for Hill's Truck Line, Leonard Bros Trucking and retired from B&H Freight in 1997. A loyal employee and hard worker, Yogi will be remembered most for his quick wit, one liner's, and community service. He was a member of Adrian First Baptist Church, Adrian Optimist Club, past board member of the Adrian Manor and actively involved in scouting for over 30 years. His son, Joe and stepson, Eddie, both attained the rank of Eagle Scout. During his scouting career, Yogi served as Scout Master, merit badge counselor, Eagle Board of Review Chairman, Lone Bear District Commissioner, served on the staff of H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation and twice lead a group of scouts to Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. Yogi was Wood Badge trained, earned the Award of Merit and was awarded the Silver Beaver Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a scout by the Heart of America Council. In 1990, Yogi was elevated to the Tribal Council with the position of Sachem in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say.

Yogi's nephew, Robbie Clark, always claimed that Yogi was the King of the one-liners. Everyone that ever knew Yogi has a story to tell and most of the stories center around one of those well timed one-liners. Yogi's signature line was, "I've only got two gears…and if you don't like this one, you sure as heck won't like the other one." With Yogi there was no big fanfare and no big production; just a quiet determination to get things done. He was a man of integrity and principle. Yogi was a true community servant and Adrian is a better place because he was here. That is why he was chosen to serve as Adrian's 2009 Fourth of July Celebration Grand Marshall. Yogi was a staunch Democrat and a proud supporter of the Democratic Party.

Yogi is survived by his wife of 36 years, Karen; one daughter, Eve Clark of Harrisonville; stepson, Eddie Sterns and wife, Patti of Kansas City MO; one sister, Jean Stark and two brothers, Richard Clark and Bill Clark, all of Adrian; daughter-in-law, Shannon (Clark) May and husband, Randy of Harrisonville; granddaughter, Josie Belle Clark of Harrisonville; six step- grandchildren, Jordon Sterns, Morgan Sterns, Sydney Sterns, Ryon Hough, Kennedy May and Brigham May; other nephews, nieces and a multitude of friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy Z. and Millie Clark, a sister, Doris Nelson, one son, Joe Clark and a stepson, Jeffrey Hough.