Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the decade Clark moved to Colorado to attend Colorado School of Mines.

Tom Clark wore many hats in Kremmling, helping shape the town into what it is today.

From gold mining on the banks of Willow Creek to serving as mayor of the town for 16 years, Clark’s roots in the community run deep.

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Clark died of cancer in February, leaving behind no living family. Friend John Temple plans to spread Clark’s ashes on Kenosha Pass in spring or early summer. Temple said the area was special to Clark because another friend’s ashes were also spread there.

Temple and other longtime residents often spend time together at Big Shooters Coffee in Kremmling — a group they jokingly call “The Liar’s Club.”

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“The Liar’s Club isn’t the same without him,” Temple reflected. ” … He was a funny guy and had a big laugh.”

Friends who shared stories of Clark with Sky-Hi News recalled his early days in the area and his time dedicated to community service.

A passion for mining

According to friends, Clark was adopted. Originally from Florida, he moved to Colorado in the 1970s to attend Colorado School of Mines, longtime friend Ron Harvey said.

Clark started the Lord Bryon Gold Mining Co. in Idaho Springs. The Rev. John Kaufman, of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Kremmling, was a partner in the mine, which is how Clark learned about the town.

In 1994, Clark moved to Kremmling, where he continued his passion for mining and geology. Harvey, known as “the Rock Man,” accompanied Clark on many of his prospecting ventures around the Grand County area.

According to his friends, Clark was legally blind and used a thick magnifying glass to study the pans of sediment he dredged from the riverbanks.

“He couldn’t see anything, but he could see gold,” Harvey recalled.

Although they never struck it rich, the men considered it an enjoyable hobby.

Clark also liked teaching others how to prospect, from students to adults. He had a placer mining claim along Willow Creek, where he and other prospectors could search for garnets, ore, iron — and possibly gold and silver. Clark used homemade tools for his sluice box, which separates minerals from the dirt.

Clark was fascinated by rocks, and his home was surrounded by buckets of rocks, dirt and other materials, friends recalled.

Another of Clark’s passions was technology. In the 1970s, he was among the first students at Colorado School of Mines to create computer programs. And in his final days, one of his favorite hobbies was playing computer games.

He also had a strong interest in water and the environment. He served as chairman of the Grand County Water Information Network, was a member of the Colorado Basin Roundtable and volunteered with the Colorado State Forest Service and other organizations. He was also an avid angler.

Friends added that Clark supported community members in a variety of ways, from serving food with Father Kaufman to helping veterans and seniors with transportation costs. Since Clark couldn’t drive due to his visual impairment, he understood the importance of providing rides for those who needed them.

Time as town mayor

Clark served as mayor from 2002 to 2018. His friends thank him today for making Kremmling a better place.

“He was a real mayor,” Temple said. “He took his job very seriously. He was always walking around town, talking to people.”

Clark was responsible for improving the town’s water and sewer infrastructure, including the treatment plant, pumping plant and distribution system. He also secured the town’s rights to the Colorado River. His renovation of the plant, which is about 70 years old, enabled it to continue operating through present day.

“The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the progress that we have made. My goal has been to better the community without losing our character. I find it extremely rewarding to be able to work with all the special districts, governments and people to achieve this goal.”

— Tom Clark in a 2008 interview

Friends said Clark handled town government meetings professionally and was friends with all the townsfolk. Part of his mayoral duties included helping organize community events. Clark was an integral part of Kremmling Days, Cliff Golf and other celebrations, friends said.

“The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the progress that we have made,” Clark told Sky-Hi News in a 2008 interview. “My goal has been to better the community without losing our character. I find it extremely rewarding to be able to work with all the special districts, governments and people to achieve this goal.”

Beginning in 2017, Clark also became a greeter at the Kremmling visitor center. According to friends, he enjoyed being the face of Kremmling for visitors. When he became ill in October 2023, he remained determined to get better so he could go back to working for the chamber.

“He had a passion for the outdoors and a deep love for this town and its people,” the chamber wrote on Facebook after his passing. “Tom was truly one of a kind — his kindness, dedication and presence will be greatly missed.”

A ‘heroic’ struggle to get better

As Clark’s cancer spread, he moved into Cliffview Assisted Living Center. Despite the cancer diagnosis, he remained positive, Temple said, adding that most people would have given up in Clark’s position.

“His struggle was heroic,” Temple said. “He always had faith he’d get better.”

As Clark grew sicker during his radiation treatments, he was moved from Cliffview to a hospital in Glenwood Springs. Temple and other members of The Liar’s Club called him on his birthday in January. That was the last time they spoke to him.

According to his friends, Clark — a tough, independent individual — fought to his last breath.

A GoFundMe page Temple organized to assist with cremation and other end-of-life expenses exceeded its $1,700 goal in early March, thanks to community support.

“Tom was a man of service, integrity and deep love for this town and the people in it,” Temple shared on GoFundMe.