David Clark

David Thomas Corlett of Oregon House (CA) was born in Portland, Oregon, on October 23, 1960 to Sigrid Antonia Fehrenbacher Corlett and Thomas Corbett, both Grant high school graduates and professional musicians. David passed away due to sepsis on January 16, 2022.

David’s father. Tommy Corlett, passed away when David was a young boy; Sigrid married Bud Clark, and Bud adopted David. Sigrid and Bud had three more children together, Jason, Rachel, and Nicolas. The Clark family lived a short while in the Multnomah Village neighborhood of Portland and then moved to Northwest Portland where the family would live until after all of the kids (and even some grandkids) had moved out.

David attended Maplewood and Chapman Elementary Schools and then Lincoln High School. David enjoyed science, music, literature and outdoor activities. David had three sets of grandparents from the combined families, enjoying time with: the Corletts in NE Portland; Nana and Grandpa Henry Fehrenbacher in Tigard, at their U-Pick Blueberry patch mini-farm, barn, berries, and fruits and plants galore; and at Grandma Mildred’s (Bud’s mother) out on the Sandy River, where countless hours were spent inner tubing, swimming, and observing and interacting with nature.

David was one of the first skateboarders in Portland, doing stunts like handstands on a penny board, years before skateparks and longboards had become an accepted sport. He even wrote an article for his school newspaper titled Skate boarding… A Real Sport, in which he noted, “The pedestrian and other doubtful onlookers must realize that as they watch a youth careening noisily down a slope at breakneck speed, obviously almost losing control, he is not observing an accomplished skateboarder or even a novice striving to become one.” The article finished with “… it definitely looks like skateboarding is here to stay.” David was not only a wordsmith, but he was wiry, strong, and athletic. He had a small frame with a muscular physique and joined the Lincoln High School wrestling team. Over time, he gained an appreciation for maintaining

good health, showing an early interest in health foods, practicing macrobiotic cooking – and later selling vitamins and nutritional supplements.

Complementing his strong vocabulary and writing skills, David was artistic and cerebral in many ways. As a youth, he learned to play the violin and piano, skills which he kept up, especially the violin, later in life. He was left handed and developed beautiful script handwriting. He collected antiques and especially was interested in primitive kitchen utensils, such as rolling pins, egg beaters, and wooden spoons. This was a passion that he shared with his mother Sigrid, with whom he shared a special bond. He additionally collected many tomes of literature; and some of these books ended up in local bookstores.

Despite his strengths, going to school became increasingly challenging, and just a couple of months before graduating from high school, David dropped out. However, later he went on to get his GED and to learn a trade at Columbia Basin Job Corps Center in Moses Lake, Washington. It was there that he learned masonry, or bricklaying, a skill which he used throughout his life in his profession as a freelance mason, tileworker, and carpenter. His academic scores and time training there reflect a strong understanding of science and literature- and craftsmanship. At Columbia Basin, he logged 1,166 hours of training, including 483 of just bricklaying.

In the early 80s, David learned of a philosophy group, the Fellowship of Friends, which followed the philosophical teachings of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky. He would go to meetings at a house next to Washington Park in Portland, where other followers met to discuss their readings. About 1985, he moved to Oregon House, California, to be close to the Fellowship of Friends. He helped to build the Renaissance Winery, lending his skills as a master of bricklaying to the beautiful architecture/design of the winery. He also played violin in their symphony. He later left the Fellowship.

With his home and a couple of acres in Oregon House as his base, David earned his living building structures, laying tile and brick, and serving as a handyman in the area. He built not only structures, but his reputation as one that people could rely on to get the job done. He also built his reputation as a lover of animals. A rescued litter of kitties turned into a full-time hobby. While years ago, he had dogs and even a horse, in the end, it was cats who captured his heart.

He was surrounded by his feline friends when he passed away.

On Sunday, March 20, at noon, David’s family and friends will gather at the Dobbins Church (10034 Marysville Rd, Dobbins, CA) for a

for a memorial service in his honor. Donations can be made to … your choice: Perfect Paws Animal Advocates, and mention David’s Colony. Leslie and her volunteers have been working to trap and spay and neuter all of the cats that were left behind when David passed. Now…they just need homes! Visit Perfect Paws Facebook page and scroll to see videos of David’s Colony as well as the many other projects of this rescue organization Their site – https://www.facebook.com/perfectpawsaa

David’s Colony – https://www.facebook.com/page/750544468383945/search/?q=david%27s%20colony

Thank you,

The Clark Family