October 3, 1956 – October 26, 2021
John J. Clark, 65 of Lafayette, unexpectedly passed away on Tuesday, Oct 26, 2021. John was born on October 3, 1956, in Martinsville, Indiana to Norman C. Clark and Virginia G. (Boothe) Clark.
John was the Art Director for Copper Moon Coffee in Lafayette, Indiana. He also served as the creative director for print media that defined and illustrated the Malawi Project, the country of Malawi, and the personality of its people for 28 years. From the beginning, he donated free of charge the entirety of his creative services to the Project. Early in the program, John made a trip to Malawi to gain first-hand knowledge of the country, its people, and the work the Malawi Project was doing. It was through John the owners of Copper Moon became acquainted with the Project. They soon joined the effort and have been major supporters for many years.
Brad Gutwein, the CEO for Copper Moon makes this observation, “John was a close friend and colleague for 23 years. His creative talent, friendly spirit, and generous heart have impacted countless people over the years. He always put others before himself and was a steady and reliable friend to so many.”
From Malawi where John’s work helped to bring life-saving resources and hope for their future, came this response to his passing from Wilson Tembo, Executive Director for Action for Progress,
“That’s such sad news! John has been instrumental in the Work ever since the beginning. I remember when we were planning to set up Action for Progress. We took a photo from the shores of Lake Malawi and he quickly played with it and beautifully embedded it into our Logo. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family. May the good Lord strengthen the family during this time. Our prayers are with all of you.”
Chester Kabinda-Mbewe, Chairman of Action for Progress writes, “Oooh, that’s shocking indeed. My heartfelt condolences. Malawi gained a lot out of his expertise and dedication. His love for Malawi didn’t go in vain. His footprints in Malawi cannot be erased. We are keeping the family in our prayers.”
John is survived by his wife Diana, whom he married in 1985, two sisters, Lisa (Jeff) Boxx and Linda (Chad) Daffron, and several nieces and nephews.
On April 26, 2021, this website featured a story that reflected John’s importance to the Project. The story was entitled, “Clark Projects Image”. https://www.malawiproject.org/clark-projects-image/