It is with an extremely heavy heart that I write this tribute-words
that cannot even begin to express the man or the feelings of all of us
who have known him.  Many of you here on the FML know of my family's
association with Harvey & Helga Clark, and you all know the high esteem
these folks are held by us.  If you were at Ferrets 2000 in Toronto, and
you heard Bob Church speak of being in a room full of adults and ferrets,
and watching all those adults turn into children, he was speaking of the
Clark's room and their ferrets.  What a gathering there!  Then later the
Clarks, Betty and James, Sara and I sat in the Clarks room, swapping
ferret stories and sharing wine.  How fun, how wonderful to know these
people.
 
We had the honor of meeting the Clarks about 4 or 5 years ago.  Helga had
a little ferret she'd rescued, was looking for a home for her, and we
answered.  Harvey and Helga drove halfway from Belleville, Illinois, and
Larry, Sara and I met them halfway.  We must have sat in that diner for 3
hours, talking, enjoying each other's company.  And it was like meeting
old friends that you hadn't seen for a while.  To state the rest is
history is to put it mildly.  We've visited each other's house, we've
talked on the phones, and if not for the Clark's I wouldn't know as much
about ferrets as I do.
 
One of my fondest memories of Harvey is him sitting in our living room,
our big black and white cat, Domino, in his lap, rubbing all over him.
Helga was telling us that one of their sons had written a paper in school
about how fantastic his dad was, because he was highly allergic to cats
and still allowed him to have a cat.  I looked over, there's Harvey with
tears pouring down his face because of his allergy, loving this cat.  I
asked him if he wanted me to get Domino off him, he smiled and said no,
that he loved it.
 
How does one take the measure of man like this?  I don't know, but what
I know is when they made this man they broke a mold.  He was a great
husband and father, and a marvelous friend.  I don't think I ever heard
him speak a bad word against anyone, but if he did, I'm sure they
deserved.  Was he perfect, of course not.  There was only one perfect
person, and they hung Him on a cross.  But I can tell you that he was fun
to be around, so interesting, so informative, and such a blast.  Another
fond memory was when our daughter, Sara, and I were at the Clarks and
Harvey kept fixing Sara fuzzy navels.  She was feeling no pain and he
was laughing his head off.
 
When we found Harvey was ill we were devastated.  I know how hard this
has all been on Helga, and how she and Harvey refused to give in to this.
Why do the great and kind people get struck down by disease?  Life isn't
fair, and this sucks.  My niece had AML, and I sought her advice on what
to tell Harvey and Helga, and my family has tried to be there for them,
albeit long distance.  I cannot tell you the devastation we feel at this
moment, to know that Harvey has left us all.  I have just talked to
Helga, and Harvey left us around 3:00pm today, March 27, 2003.
 
If one takes the measure of a man by his family and friends, this man
was so rich.  Harvey, I know you're now out of pain, that you're smiling
and waving at us.  And I know that when you reached Heaven you went
immediately to the Rainbow Bridge and couldn't be seen by the animals who
gathered around you, and who have crossed into Heaven with you.  I'm sure
that St.  Francis was there to greet you, as well as a host of angels,
and Christ Himself.  Goodbye, our dear friend.  You leave a giant hole in
the lives of all who knew you, more of a hole in your family's life than
all of us combined.  But we know that you will never suffer again, and
when all our times come, we know we'll see you again.  Godspeed, my dear
friend.  If any of you would like to give Helga your condolences, please
contact me, or if you would like to give a donation in Harvey's name to
the American Cancer Society, I think that would be truly appreciated, and
I would be more than happy to give you the information you might need.
Please keep Helga and her sons in your thoughts and prayers, for I know
how much they are hurting at this time.
 
Rebecca & the Crew of  Merry Mayhem
"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and =
 taste good with ketchup"
"Support bacteria, it's the only culture some people have"
[Posted in FML issue 4100]