CHAPTER 33 - THIS IS YOUR LIFE, BISHOP CLARKE
From Richard's memoirs, recovered from his original WordPerfect files
Following my release as Bishop, my successor, Bishop Roger Zierenberg, Sr., devised and contrived to honor me with a “This is Your Life” evening of entertainment and reminiscing.
I believe I can best describe it by referring to the letter I wrote immediately following the event to those who I would have liked to have been there but were unable to attend. I quote, in part from my letter:
“Last Friday night (October 20th, 1961) started out to be a “Bishop Clarke Dinner” in my honor for serving the past five years as Bishop of the Van Nuys Second Ward. This came about due to my being released as Bishop on September 24th and the new Bishopric, under the leadership of Bishop Roger Zierenberg, informed me they would like to have such an affair in my honor. For this I was most grateful and readily accepted. However, the events of the evening proved to be one of the most exciting times of my life.
The evening started off in a normal manner. We first met in the Chapel and President Robert Baird offered the opening prayer for the evening. Bishop Zierenberg then had President Don Brown bring out a box and disclosed a lovely orchid for DeVonne and a white carnation boutonniere for me. (This was way above average to start with, especially for DeVonne, as it was the first orchid she had ever received.)
Then they opened the large doors between the Chapel and the Cultural Hall and escorted us into the banquet tables. Standing at the doorway were some of our Aaronic Priesthood boys and LDS girls who held crossed spears (red tips on white poles) which lead to the head table. The hall was decorated in red and white (which were my old college colors at Stanford) and it was done in the best fashion I had ever seen in that hall. The meal, consisted of baked ham, fresh peas, baked potatoes, rolls and punch, topped off with pie and ice cream, was served by the LDS girls while the Relief Society sisters did the preparation work in the kitchen.
Following dinner, everyone was invited to turn their chairs toweard the stage and the program began quietly with Tom Olsen, Dorafaye Olsen, Audre Openshaw, Beth Johnston, and Walter & Barbara Bretzing singing “Around the World” accompanied by Karleton Driggs. Then with some fancy pretext they got me up to sing with them and as I found my place in the music score they all began singing, but with different words, and I found myself standing there, grinning from ear to ear and most pleased with what I heard. Audre had written the words as follows:
We’re here tonight for Bishop Clarke,
To let you know by way of song
What’s really in our hearts,
We’re here to sing in your behalf,
To touch your heart; to make you smile;
Or even make you laugh!
We sang in choir of Van Nuys Two,
Each Sunday night we tried to be
A shining light for you!
And so tonight we meet in rendezvous,
To light a spark for Bishop Clarke!
At the conclusion of the song, Bishop Zierenberg stepped out and announced: “Bishop Clarke, This is your Life!” From then on he took over in a masterful manner that would put Ralph Edwards to shame, to say nothing of the overwhelming effect it had on me. I have never been so completely “taken” in all my life. I was given a choice seat on the stage and then it started.
The first voice I heard from behing stage was that of my Sister-In-Law, June (DeVonne’s Sister). June had traveled all the way from Banning, California and fortunately I recognized her voice. I also got a big kiss when she came on stage, which is always appreciated. (All my SisterIn- Laws are most attractive.) June was followed by Earl and Elaine McKee, of Colton, my old home town. Elaine was my Sunday School teacher right after the war and a big help to me in getting reestablished in the Church. Earl, also was a member of the Bishopric then and a great encouragement to me. He later became Bishop of the Colton Ward. Woodrow and Rita Miller, also of Colton, were next and I did recognize Woodrow’s voice. Woodrow was best known as the head man of Miller’s Honey. He was also Bishop while I was in Colton and he later became Mayor of that fair city. His wife, Rita, is the sister of Cleon Skousen, author of the Naked Communist, and of some Anti-Communism fame in the Los Angeles area.
Tommy Cole, who goes back with me to the first grade in Lincoln School in Colton, was next, with his wfe, Maxine. I couldn’t recognize his voice, though I had seen him a little over a year before at our high school 25 year class reunion. Tommy and I did a bit of swimming together in the old days. He now lives in Van Nuys and is active in Toastmasters. Somewhere in the line up was another sister of DeVonne’s, Shirlie, and her husband Lloyd Jones, and again I recognized Lloyd’s voice. (I was pretty good with the family.) They came all the way from Colton. Lloyd had been recently released as Bishop of the Colton Ward. (What’s good enough for Lloyd was good enough for me.) I also got a kiss from Shirlie.
All the time this was going on, Bishop Zierenberg was telling incidents in my life and flashing old photographs of me on the screen. He had connived considerably with DeVonne and had lots of photos and information. (This is the only secret DeVonne ever kept from me.) DeVonne came on stage and gave me a proper wifely kiss that we made up for later at home. SHE IS MY LIFE! Following her came Number 2 Son, Reggie, and daughter Kandy. Our eldest son, Dicky, was on a Full Time Mission serving in Chile. He sent a letter to the Bishop that was read and exposed some of my bad habits of former days.
Some twelve years plus when we move to Panorama City we found only one other family on the block in our tract on Sylmar Avenue. This was Harry and Esther Auth, close neighbors across the street. They had since moved from our neighborhood, but it was a big surprise to hear Harry’s voice from back stage. I did recognize him. Harry owned a TV Sales and Service store in Panorama City. His prices were reasonable, and service good. I told the group: “Just tell him I sent you, and maybe I can get a free picture tube.”
President Don C. Brown, then our Stake President, and Bishop of the Van Nuys Second Ward before me was present. Jerry Mann, one of my counselors in the Bishopric, had written that he couldn’t make it, but arrived anyway, together with his wife, Joyce, and children, Jerelee and Kent. They drove all the way down from San Jose. Eulis and Dorothy Hubbs of Colton had planned to attend, but Dorothy was ill that day. Dorothy and I went through high school together. She was born and raised in the Church and I think one of the biggest shocks of her life was when se learned that “that Dick Clarke” had joined the Mormon Church.
Les Eaby, an inactive member of our ward, but a close associate of mine at UCLA was present. We lived within a block of each other and rode to work daily for many years. I recognized his voice. Ed Gersh, a field engineer for Welton Becket and Associates (Architects & Engineers), was also present. If Ed and I could have our say we would both claim that we built the Neuropsychiatric Institute at UCLA. This was a seven million dollar project that Ed and I worked together on for better that two years. (They still have a two-bed room reserved for us at the Institute.)
Glenn Rogers, my Boss at UCLA, came home from a three week vacation just in time to appear on the show. Of all the ones not to recognized by his voice, his I did not.
My mother was back in Ohio visiting her sister and was unable to be present, although the Bishop considered flying her out here. I think he would hae done it, except we wouldn’t want Mother to have to travel alone. My Dad had been staying at our home for a couple of months and I expected him to come to the dinner with us. He claimed, when I got home Friday night, that he didn’t want to have to sit through such a long evening and ate dinner at home, but he was in on it too. Reggie sneaked back and picked him up and he came out on the stage and took a place beside me.
All during these proceedings President Baird and Walter Kuch were taking photos of the happenings. My former Bishop, Max Tolman, of Van Nuys First Ward, was present and his wife, Margene, as were all my counselors while I was Bishop, excepting Dan Lott and Ted Lamb. I went through three complete changes of counselors, including Ted, Dan, Jerry Mann, Larry Mitchell, Clifton Miller, Roger Zierenberg and Bob Sallanger. Dan would have been there except for a missile test he was working on in Sunnyvale for Lockheed. Ted, then a Bishop in Ventura was unable to attend. Bishop Zierenberg read a nice letter from Dan and Ruth and a telegram from Ted and Alice Lamb.
My sister, Bette, and my Sister-In-Law, Dura (my Brother’s wife) were on the highseas aboard the steamship Leonardo Da Vinci, somewhere between Gibraltar and New York, having spent nearly two months touring Europe. Both of them sent radiograms that the Bishop read to me during the evening.
Carl and Bessie Hutchison telegramed from Phoenix, Arizona. Bessis served as my Primary President about as long as anyone and I think she still longed for the Van Nuys Second Ward. Harlod and Betty Culley wired from Cheyenne, Wyoming. James and Mary Andersen wired from Delta, Utah, and Homer and Pauline Burris wired from San Jose, California. Kay and Amelia Andersen sent, airmail, two lovely orchids from Hawaii. Kay was teaching at the Church College on Oahu at the time.
Excerpts from several letters received by the Bishop were read. DeVonne’s parents had written from Astoria, Oregon, and Lyman and Nicki Speakman from Denver, Colorado. Joyce Mann wrote a very nice note telling us she wouldn’t be there and then the whole family came after all.
Pauling Mitchell, another sister of DeVonne’s wrote from Mountain View, Californa. Our son, Dicky, wrote from Santiago, Chile. Carolyn Campbell, once engaged to Dick in his pre-mission days, wrote me a very nice note from Brigham Young University. Jim and Dorothy Hollingworth, members of our ward, with Dorothy’s mother, Nellie Lambert, were celebrating her 95th birthday the same night sent me a nice card. I dropped by the next day to see Nellie. She was all spruced up in a new dress for her birthday, with a new necklace and earrings, new hairdo, etc. She looked like she was ready to go out and paint the town red, and I think she could have. She promised me she would live to be 100.
Richard North, a lawyer from Sherman Oaks Ward, who gave me considerable legal advice while I was Bishop, also sent along a nice note. He also gave me much help with some members of our Ward who needed legal assistance. Jack Spragins, who started me on my swimming career when I was 14 years old, reached back some 30 years in the old memory box to write me a two page “Do you Remember” letter that really brought back some good old times.
My brother, Bob, who beat my sister, Bette, and his wife, Dura, home from Europe by four weeks as he had work to do, sent a tape recording of his voice in which he paid me a wonderful tribute. Because he wasn’t certan that the tape would arrive in time, he wrote it out in longhand and sent that along too so it could be read if needed. Jim Mackay also taped his voice for me. Jim and I had done many things together in our Church activities, including taking Finnish steam baths. He was one of my counselors, a few years back, when I was Elders Quorum President.
Bshop Zierenberg presented me with a huge scrapbook imprinted with gold lettering “This is Your Life, Richard C. Clarke,” in which to place all the letters, cards, telegrams, and photos, as well as the script. The entire proceedings were tape recorded for me. The last words Bishop Zierenberg said to me were: “On some rainy night in the distant future, when you have your feet near the fireplace and your thoughts in the past, just call out to DeVonne and say, ‘Honey, would you get me that book,’ and if she says ‘What book Sweetie Pie?’ You just say, ‘This is Your Life, Richard C. Clarke.’”
Clark Muir, Second Counselor in the new Bishopric, thanked everyone for attending and for those who helped to put on the program, and expressed his hope that I had appreciated it and enjoyed it as much as they did presenting it to me, President James E. Craddock of the Stake Presidency gave the closing prayer.
It addition to all those mentioned above, it seemed to me that just about everyone in our Ward attended the dinner. I know that our people like to eat, but I am just egotistical enough to feel that most of them came for my benefit. DeVonne and I came home and sat up untl 1:00 AM talking about it and I didn’t sleep for the next two nights.