Obituary
Elford “El” Henry Clark Jr., 73, died early in the morning Wednesday, May 4, 2022. He was surrounded by the love of his wife Fran, daughter Joy, son Micah and daughter-in-law Janelle. They will miss him forever, as will his adored granddaughters, Abigail and Autumn. El’s family is heartbroken but finds comfort in the settled belief that the God who created El, the Christ that saved him, and the Holy Spirit who counseled him every day, welcomed him home with wide open arms.
El was born in Memphis, TN on June 19, 1948, the first child of Elford and Mary Clark. He and his younger sister, Linda, were raised in Orlando, FL. After a battle with tuberculosis that spanned El’s entire childhood, his beloved father, Elford Sr. died. El was only 13 years old. Some years later Mary remarried Robert “Bob” Richardson. Bob became a trusted friend as well as loving stepfather. Elford graduated from Colonial High School in 1966 and the University of Florida in 1971 with a BA in Philosophy.
After years of struggle and wandering, El surrendered his heart to Jesus Christ in 1975. This ushered in a profound season of change. He met and married Francene Rickard in California. Soon after they moved to Everett, WA where they had Joy and Micah. There El first pastored on staff at New Life Center Foursquare Church.
In 1981 they moved to North Carolina to pastor Lake Norman and Charlotte Plaza Foursquare Churches. El moved his family to Southern California to live near their parents in 1986. He was awarded a full scholarship at Western State University of Law, graduating salutatorian with his Juris Doctorate and admitted to the California Bar in 1989.
After three years of private practice El was approached to work at the Foursquare denominational headquarters. This began a thirty year career as Foursquare’s Corporate Counsel where he managed litigation and represented hundreds of Foursquare churches both in the US and around the world. If a pastor was in trouble they usually spoke with El. He was a pastor to pastors.
El ended up traveling to 23 countries. He had a special ongoing relationship with many churches and pastors in Kenya. He spent years training leaders to listen closely to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
In 2014 El stepped back becoming Special Counsel and moving to Gainesville, FL where he could attend Gator Sports. He was still active in ministry: traveling to Kenya, speaking at his new home church, The Rock of Gainesville, leading his Connect group, serving on the board of Life Pacific University, Florida Regional Pastor for the Atlantic District, and Foursquare International emissary to East and Southern Africa. In Florida he was able to spend more time with family. Of the many titles he earned in life his most precious were husband, dad, Papaw…and son. For that is the final name he is called. Welcome home son, my good and faithful servant.
Donations
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Elford “El” Henry Clark Jr.’s name to the Global Missions Fund at https://thehub.foursquare.org/prod/TheHub/global-missions-fund.
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