Lawrence Clark

Lawrence “Red” Clark of Lancaster passed away on December 22, 2025. He was born on September 22, 1924, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the son of Lawrence W. Clark and Cora Belle Clark. During the Depression, his family moved to Rector, Pennsylvania, where Red met the love of his life and future wife, Helen Nicely, while they attended Ligonier High School.

In 1944, Red enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in France and Belgium with the 406th Regiment of the 102nd Ozark Division. Following his return from military service, he attended the University of Pittsburgh, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. He later became a research fellow at Carnegie Mellon University before joining Armstrong Cork Company in Lancaster in 1950.

Red and Helen were married on September 2, 1948, in Ligonier and shared a devoted marriage until Helen’s passing in 2015. Red is survived by his children: Jeffrey and his wife Debra of Spokane, Washington; Jennifer Wimer and her partner Bruce Lefever of Millersville; Linda Burley and her husband Chuck of Glenwood Springs, Colorado; and Robert and his wife Susan of North Granby, Connecticut. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Red took great pride in his career at Armstrong. His crowning achievement was his invention of Armaflex, for which he held the patent and to whose ongoing development he remained deeply committed. Known as the “Father of Armaflex” his work took him throughout Europe and North America, where he supervised the startup of Armaflex production facilities.

A member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Red was also a member and past president of Conestoga Country Club and the Lancaster-Lebanon chapter of the Isaac Walton League. He and Helen were long time season ticket holders for the Lancaster Symphony. He was an accomplished watercolor artist and enjoyed playing bridge, golfing, gardening, hunting, fishing, and traveling to Europe and to visit his far-flung children.

Services are planned at Woodcrest Village and will be announced at a later date. Red will return to Ligonier for burial at Ligonier Valley Cemetery, overlooking the valley he loved. Memorial contributions may be made to: https://www.macular.org/want-to-help/donate