Wilby Warner Clarke, 91, passed away February 7, 2014 at the Phillips County Retirement Center in Phillipsburg, Kansas.
Bill was the only child of Roy and Lelah Clarke of Kirwin, Kansas, born on January 14, 1923. He attended Kirwin schools up to 8th grade at which time the family moved to Phillipsburg in December, 1937. He graduated from 8th grade and then from high school in 1941. He was the photographer for the Panther yearbook in 1941. As a band member, Bill was also part of a trumpet trio. He was chosen to attend Boys State in Wichita, a program of the American Legion. His part-time job throughout high school was to usher the north aisle of the Majestic Theater for Ralph Winship, where he also helped run the projectors.
He was employed by Huck Boyd at the Phillips County Review after school and on weekends as a Printer's Devil (a cleanup man). Later he learned how to operate the linotype machine and press work. Just before going into the service, he worked for the Boyd paper in Mankato, Kansas, (the Jewell County Record) as a linotype operator.
During 1942 he took a correspondence course in photography from the New York Institute of Photography. He was drafted into the army at Fort Logan, Colorado on February 8, 1943, took basic training at Camp Wolters, Texas, and from there was sent to the Pacific area, from Hawaii to Guadacanal, the Solomon Islands, New Guinea and a short visit to Australia. He was on several small Philippine Islands and in landings on Luzon Island in the Philippines, where he saw General McArthur. He served on the crew of a 37mm anti-tank gun. During this time he was chosen out of his platoon to become the Company Clerk of headquarters Second Battalion, 108th Infantry, 40th Division. The job, which he was lucky to get, may have saved his life; several men of his gun crew were later killed. His new job, which involved re-coding each day's unit activities, took him out of some of the day-in, day-out foxhole living.
After the Japanese surrender his outfit was sent to Korea to work with peaceful disarmament of Japanese forces there. He returned to the United States on a new battle cruiser, the USS Alaska. He was honorably discharged from military service on December 12, 1945, having earned the rank of Corporal Technician 5th Grade.
Being interested in photography, he took advantage of the GI Bill of Rights and attended Southwest Photo Arts Institute in Dallas, Texas in 1946. After graduation he returned to Phillipsburg and opened his studio on the west side of the courthouse square where he spent 62 years at the same location, also doing photo work for the newspapers.
He married Loretta Anna Reiss on June 26, 1949 at the Lutheran Church in Wilcox, Nebraska. They built their home here in Phillipsburg and worked together at the studio, touching many lives through their years of photography. As of January 1, 2004, he had photographed 2,875 weddings and many Senior Classes of local area schools during the 50's and 60's. He also took many 40th and 50th anniversary pictures of couples whom he had originally photographed on their wedding day. One of his most memorable group settings was a 5-generation family photo taken in 2003 which, for him, was hard to believe.
Bill's hobby and passion was model toy trains. He assembled a large layout in the back of his studio which continued to grow over the years. When he ran out of room for his trains there, he was offered a large room at the Huck Boyd Center where he set up a display to share with the public. Bill & Loretta offered this display as a gift to the community in appreciation for the many years of business here. It has been an attraction for school classes, local clubs, train show groups and tourists from all states. Loretta was able to witness this accomplishment before her death on December 30, 1998. She provided much time and input into the layout of the showcase area and the pictures displayed there.
Bill was a member of the First Lutheran Church in Phillipsburg, a lifetime member of the Phillipsburg VFW Post #1360, member of the Kirwin American Legion Post #277 in Kirwin, KS (which was named after his uncle, Harry E. Clarke of World War I), and held membership in the National Railway Historical Society and the Rock Island Railway Technical Society. He was also an active member of the Kansas Professional Photography Association and was honored by them with a Life Membership Award in 2001. In 2000 he was crowned "Old Settler's King" at the Kirwin Old Settler's Day and was honored on his 80th birthday with an open house at the Huck Boyd Center , where he enjoyed sharing a large exhibit of old photos from this area taken in the years prior to 1947.
Bill does not leave this world, his friends, or his family empty-handed, but offers his gifts and accomplishments of 60 years dedicated to photography to become greater treasures with each passing year. Also, he offers sincere thanks to the Huck Boyd Foundation for the space allotted for his train layout and railroad memorabilia, which serves as a legacy to future generations for education and enjoyment.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Loretta; brother-in-law, Victor Reiss and wives, Joan and Verla; brother-in-law, Harold Reiss and wife, Dorothy; and great-nephew, Ryan Fecht.
He is survived by his nieces: Joanne Fecht & husband, Dean, and children, Jacob and Matt of Holdrege, NE; Judy Krueger & husband, Greg, and children, Ben, Annie, and Sarah of Hastings, NE; Kathy Holden and sons, James and Michael, of Arizona; Barbara Reiss and daughter, Jessica, also of Arizona; and Jane Reiss and Sara Reiss, both of Colorado; and his nephew, Bruce Reiss of California.

Funeral services will be held Wed. Feb. 12 at 10:30 a.m. in the First Lutheran Church with Pastor Joel Hiesterman officiating. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery with military honors by Ft. Riley Honor Guard.

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 9:00 Monday and 9:00 to 9:00 Tuesday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be given to the Huck Boyd Community Center or the First Lutheran Church.