Clark Bolt

Clark W. Bolt passed away peacefully with his family at his side, Sunday, August 15. Graveside Services will be 10:30 am, Wednesday, August 18, at Moody Cemetery with Clarence Richardson officiating. Visitation will be 4:00 pm-6:00 pm, Tuesday, August 17, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home. Clark was born March 6, 1923, in Iowa Falls, Iowa, to Orville Clark and Margaret Bolt. He graduated from Kingsville High School in 1941. In 1942, Clark enlisted in the Navy Seabees. He served 31 months in the South and Southwest Pacific Islands, including New Hebrides, Admiralty, New Guinea, Saipan, and Okinawa. After honorable discharge in 1946, he attended the University of Missouri and earned his Bachelor of Arts in journalism in 1948. After graduation, he worked for the Temple Daily Telegram. It was in Temple that he met his bride, Oveta Morris. They married March 10, 1949 at her parents’ home in Moody, Texas. Later that year, he joined the Waco Tribune Herald as Farm Editor. Clark elevated agriculture and farm reporting, receiving numerous awards for his work. Clark was Farm Editor at WACO Radio for 21 years, and at KCEN TV for 26 years. He had the first locally-produced television program in Central Texas in 1954 when KCEN officially went on the air. He wrote for numerous agricultural magazines where he interviewed several U.S. presidents, including Harry Truman, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Jimmy Carter. Clark also worked as public information officer for the Texas Animal Health Commission. He retired in 1989 and spent many years enjoying his favorite pastime, golf, followed closely by his favorite card game, Pounce. Clark helped establish Crestview Church of Christ, where he served as a deacon and a Sunday school teacher. He was preceded in death by his parents; his son, Jeffrey Clark Bolt; and his sisters, Martha Jane Mountain and Frances Hamilton. He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 72 years, Oveta “Veta” Bolt; his daughter, Kathy Cooper and husband, Charles of Waco, and daughter, Patti Hoffmeyer and husband, Tim of Buda; grandson, James Clark Bolt, of Woodway; granddaughter, Hope Hoffmeyer, of Austin; and great-grandson, Landon James Bolt, of Woodway. Memorials may be made to Crestview Church of Christ at 7129 Delhi Rd, Woodway, Texas 76712.