Dr. Douglas E. Clark

On Tuesday, May 19, 2020, Douglas Earl Clark passed away at the age of 74 doing what he loved, fishing on Pickwick Lake. Doug was born on January 1, 1946 to Earl and Sarah in Fayetteville, North Carolina.



Doug grew up in West Point, MS and lived in Tupelo since 1977.  He married his High School sweetheart, Grace Strickland Clark, and they celebrated nearly 52 years of wonderfulmarriage.  His love of family was unparalleled.  Doug was preceded in death by his parents and youngest daughter KellyClark Putt.  He is survived by Grace, his twin children ChrisClark (Tara) and Sally Clark Adams (John Adams) and Brad Putt. His two surviving brothers are David Clark (Victoria) of Jackson, MS and Charles Clark (Jennie) of Charlotte, NC. Doug’s 8 grandkids, Clark, Hays, and Gracen Adams, Kaden, Cooper, and Emalee Clark, and Adam and Abby Putt allconsidered him larger than life.  They loved their “Doc” as a best friend, Camp Pickwick counselor, and pirate captain!



Doug was a 1964 graduate of West Point high school where he excelled in sports, lettering in Track, Baseball, Basketball, and selected as an all-conference quarterback for the West PointGreen Wave.  He attended the University of Mississippi and graduated from University of Mississippi School of Medicine in 1971.  After an internship at Baylor University Medical Centerin Dallas, Doug completed his residency back at UMMCbecoming a Fellow in the American College of Radiology.  Doug is a Veteran of the US Army having served from 1975-1977 at the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville AL.  In 1977 Dougjoined what is now Premier Radiology at the North Mississippi Medical Center (NMMC) where he served until his retirement in 2012.  Through the years of his esteemed 35-year medical career, he served as the Chairman of the Medical Staff, was a member of the board of directors for NMMC, was a member of the board of directors for North Mississippi Health Services,served as Chairman for the Department of Radiology.  Helping establish the NMMC Breast Care Center was both an emphasis of his career as well as a passion.



For Doug, however, family always came first.  Doug’s love and devotion for Grace was evident.  These childhood sweethearts were the example of a loving marriage to everyone who surrounded them.  From the early days coaching his son’s little league baseball team, to later in life providing hours of entertainment for his grandkids, Doc was a family man.   Always finding time to take his grandkids fishing, to a Braves game, or even watching his intra-family rivalry Ole Miss vs MSU on TV… in the end it was a way to bring him even closer to his family.



A close second to family was Doc’s love of bass fishing (barely edging out Ole Miss Football and Braves Baseball).  Doug started fishing in West Point ponds and developed his hobby in Jackson during med school.  But it was on Pickwick Lake where Doc felt at home.  Year after year he could be found fishing with his friends, son and son-in-law, or his grandkids.  There are very few fishermen that knew how to catch‘em like Doc.  He sometimes would say, “well that’s why they call it fishin’ and not catchin’,” but it was everyone’s experience that when you were with Doc, you were usually catching!



A member of the First United Methodist Church, Doug was charitable and always gracious in giving of himself and his time, Doug found incredible joy and purpose in the time he spent volunteering at the F.A.I.T.H. Food Pantry in Nettleton, MS.

Doc, you are loved and will be missed.



Due to circumstances with COVID-19, A family service will beheld on Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the F.A.I.T.H. Food Pantry P.O. Box 314, Nettleton, MS 38858 or a charity of your choice.