Richard Pahl Clark died on Dec. 7, 2005, in his Minneapolis apartment. Born to Garland and Betty (Pahl) Clark on April 27, 1931, in Albert Lea, he was baptized by the Rev. Bowes at the Methodist Church in Albert Lea in 1932. Moving with his family to Alden as a small child, he entered elementary school there, graduating from Alden High School in 1949. He was confirmed at Grace Lutheran Church in Alden in 1944.

In the fall of 1949 he traveled to El Monte, Calif., where he spent two years in the home of the Rev. and Mrs. W.J. Forsyth, Mrs. Forsyth being his sister Barbara. While there, he studied at the Los Angeles Barber College, was licensed and briefly practiced his trade. During that interval, he owned a gaited parade pinto which gave him many hours of riding pleasure.

Richard enlisted in the United States Air Force in Los Angeles, Calif., on Aug. 14, 1951, where he served until June 3, 1955. He received his honorable discharge and was separated from the service at Eglin Field, Fla. While serving at Fort Belvoir, Va., he was trained in the compiling of maps and spent two years in the foreign service, chiefly in Japan and the Philippines.

Upon discharge from the Air Force, Richard enrolled at Moorhead State Teachers College where he studied for a year before his transfer to the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities. He was granted the Bachelor of Arts degree there in December of 1957, with a major in history and a minor in philosophy. His postgraduate studies were devoted to myriad foreign languages, including French, Spanish, Greek, German and Latin.

In later years he was employed by various urban businesses, limiting his time at each locale to allow for his ubiquitous language studies. In an apartment overflowing with his books, he largely withdrew from society and family, passing his last days there in the solitude he craved. A truant, if you will; beloved brother still.

Richard’s survivors include sister, Barbara Forsyth of Alden; nieces: Deborah Disgrazzi and husband Gino of Albuquerque, N.M., Paula Donovan and husband Gary of Ocean View, Hawaii, Rebekah Clark Sousa and husband James of Albert Lea; grand-nephews: Timothy Forsyth and wife Robin of Vacaville, Calif., Samuel Disgrazzi with the United States Coast Guard, Caleb Sousa of Albert Lea, and Joshuah Sousa of Albert Lea; grand-nieces: Abigail Parish and husband Christopher of Bellefontaine, Ohio, Emily Conroy of San Francisco, Calif., and Rachel Disgrazzi of Palo Alto, Calif.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Garland and Betty Clark, brother and sister-in-law, Jack and Esther Clark, grandparents, Ethan and Mollie Clark and August and Eliza Pahl, brother-in-law, the Rev. W.J. Forsyth and nephew, David J. Forsyth.

The Rettinger Funeral Home of Long Lake and Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home of Wells cooperated to return Richard’s remains to the Alden Cemetery where he will rest among his family. A private prayer service at the graveside will be conducted by the Rev. Jay Dahlvang of Salem Lutheran Church in Albert Lea.