Roger Lee "Buddy" Clark

ROGER LEE "BUDDY" CLARK

Roger Lee "Buddy" Clark, a native of Littleton, NH, and resident of the Beattie House, died peacefully on January 9, 2019. Born December 11, 1933 in the Apthorp Section of town, Buddy was the son of Floyd Clark and Jean (Corrigan) Clark.

A graduate of Littleton High School, Class of 1951, Buddy attracted attention at an early age as a gifted athlete. He is considered by some to be one of the greatest multi-sport athletes to ever come out of the North Country. Buddy excelled in baseball, basketball, and track and field. In a 1946 article, the Boston Globe extolled Buddy as "a track and field phenom." At the 1951 UNH State Track and Field Meet, he set the Class B record in the high jump, while barely missing the record in the long jump by a scant one-quarter of an inch. At the time, Buddy was one of only two Gold Medal winners at the state championships in Durham. His coach entered him into the state meet as an eighth-grader. In June of 1951, at the Lancaster Fairgrounds, Buddy won the High Jump, Broad Jump, High and Low Hurdles, and the 880 Relay. That day, his leap in the Broad Jump was so powerful it propelled him completely over the 20' sand pit.

Baseball was the sport Buddy loved best. It was a sport he would pursue with a passion throughout his life, never missing an opportunity to ride the Subway to Fenway Park with his kids and grandkids to see a Red Sox game. While playing short-stop for Littleton High, Buddy was applauded as a slick-fielding, hard-hitting performer. Later, after graduation from high school, he played for the Lincoln American Legion track and baseball teams, the latter of which made it to the state semi-finals but ultimately succumbed to the Keene American Legion team. In this three-game series, Buddy hit .571 and stole eight bases, one of which included home.

In basketball, too, Buddy proved himself a talented athlete. As a sophomore playing in a varsity game, Buddy hit 14 of 15 FG attempts. He would continue this impressive streak into his junior and senior years, earning recognition as the leading scorer for the team.

After graduation from high school, Buddy played baseball and basketball for the Gilman, VT, Mill Teams, both of which won championships. While serving in the 2nd Armored Division of the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1956 (toward the end of the Korean War), Buddy was stationed in Baumholder Germany, where he was voted MVP of The Annual Division Basketball Tournament at Baumholder. In that Title game, he scored 36 points, with 16 rebounds and 12 assists.

Following his discharge from the Army, Buddy played baseball for the Last Town Team in Littleton, leading the team in hitting with a .360 BA. On all of the aforementioned teams, Buddy was either captain or co-captain.

From 1960-1990, Buddy worked for the NH Department of Transportation as a surveyor until his retirement. During his career, he worked with engineering firms in Florida and Arizona. While in Florida, Buddy played speed-pitch softball for the West Coast Zephyrs based in Tampa.

Buddy was a member of The Concord Eagles Club and the Concord American Legion Post 21; and a lifetime member of the VFW Post 816 in Littleton and the VFW Post 1631 in Concord, NH. His children fondly recall how, whenever Buddy walked into VFWs across the state, everybody knew him—or knew of him.

Family members include daughter Susan J. Warley of Rockport, TX, Michael W. Nickerson of Valparaiso, FL, and Joseph B. Nickerson of Fort Worth, TX; a loving companion Esther May Cary, along with numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Special among his grandchildren are Kalen Nickerson and Egan Nickerson, both of Weare, NH. Mr. Clark was predeceased by his brother William H. Clark of Trenton, TN, who passed away in 2016.

A private service will be held at the Groveton Cemetery on June 16, 2019.