Obituaries

“And now the end is here
And so I face that final curtain
My friend I'll make it clear
I'll state my case, of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more
I did it, I did it my way.”

Not only are those the lyrics to his favorite Frank Sinatra song, but they also describe how Clark Weidaw lived his life every single day. He was a husband, father, grandfather, brother, son, entrepreneur, tennis and pickleball teammate, dance partner, surgeon, boss and friend. And for those who knew and loved him in any of these roles, they know he went all-in on all of them.

He was born in Beantown (Boston) and lived most of his early life up and down the East Coast as the son of a traveling salesman, Kenneth Montgomery Weidaw II. He spent many summers as an adult traveling back to Boston and Camden and Rockport, Maine for lobster, halibut and real clam chowder. There he regaled everyone about his naughty escapades with his brother Kenneth (wife Carole Jeanne Weidaw). Stories of stealing golf balls to sell back to golfers, painting front porch steps and then mischievously asking for payment from the homeowner and a tractor incident story that goes with him to his grave.

He was known by his mom, Virginia Weidaw, as Boopie. She taught him the incredible role a mother can play in the caretaking of her family. Something he’d look for in his own lifelong partner. From “Mumsie’s” care, he would learn to appreciate a fresh pressed shirt (even a t-shirt!), a peanut butter fluff sandwich or fresh gingerbread or anything homemade or sweet. As an adult, he happily called her every Sunday to talk for at least an hour about everything and anything (doing more listening than talking most of the time.)

He spent most of his middle school and high school years in Jamestown, NY, meeting lifelong friends and always attending that high school reunion even though he left there six months short of graduating. His sister Janice Winters (husband Mark Winters) blessed his life when he was 13 years old, adding a fun new dynamic to their previous family of four. She also served an important role as a great “chick magnet” for Skippy (his nickname) when he was in high school.

Finishing high school in Grand Rapids, Mich. and not knowing if he should even go to college, he jumped into an engineering school at General Motors Institute that took him to Dayton, OH. There he discovered two important things: He loved being a father and engineering wasn’t for him. Lauri Fite (husband Kevin Fite) and Leanne Rayfield, his two blue-eyed (just like Dad) daughters, graced his life in ways he could have never imagined.

Doing it “his way” again, he pivoted from engineering to working with people in the noble field of medicine. In the first graduating class at Medical College of Ohio (MCO), he had the privilege of making lifelong friends with Dr. Lurley Archambeau, Dr. Joseph Schneider, Dr. Ralph Whalen, Dr. Les Domini and Dr. Donna Woodson – other physicians who kept their talents in Toledo upon graduation.

While at MCO, he met his forever love and eternal dancing partner – his wife of 49 years Grace Weidaw. His patience, persistence and charm finally won her over. And in his own words of wisdom he shared with his grandkids (Hunter, Alex, Leif, Nick, Frankie, Kami, Dominic, Carter and Autumn) a few weeks before passing, “Choose wisely. I did.”

He served in the Navy in Corpus Christi, loving his morning shifts and afternoon golf games (which did nothing for him later in life.) In Texas, he and Grace welcomed two more daughters to their family – Dana Arnold (husband Keith Arnold) and Blake Weidaw (husband Paul Martin). “Punk” and “Baker” carry on his incredible balance of work ethic and fun-loving spirit.

Ohio called him home and he built a life and thriving Ophthalmology practice, Maumee Eye Clinic. He literally whistled while he worked, creating a business where other employees and their families were able to thrive too. The “girls” Dorothy, Tina, Celia and Debbie spent their own careers alongside him and became lifelong friends, as well as Dr. Jeff Lauf, his most trusted wingman at the practice. Even his accountant for the business, Tom Idczak, became a forever buddy.

If Grace was his first love, tennis was a very close second. Everything revolved around practice and matches, which paid off in wins on the court and close friendships. Wayne Milewski, Dave Humphrey, Andrew Solacha, Danny Walker, Mark Mitchell and Danny Cable are just a few of his tennis friends (with whom the trash talk was as good off the court as it was on it). Just this past year, his Texas team made it to Nationals (bucket list!). He’d be quick to tell you that while they didn’t take it all, he won every match he played.

As Sinatra said, he lived a life that’s full. Countless dinners out with Grace and friends (Toledo Tuesdays with Kang’s, Croak’s and Doneff’s!), concerts, travel, rollerblading for miles, time with kids and grandkids, pints of java chip ice cream, rousing renditions of the song Tequila Sheila, bourbon nights, action movies (the less talking, the better) and dancing anywhere he could if the song was right, and his partner was by his side. His last dance was to Garth Brook’s “The Dance” – by a campfire, on a lake, surrounded by his family.

He leaves this world far too soon – but goes out with a bang, just like he lived his life (which makes sense for someone born on the 4th of July.) He indeed did it his way.

A Memorial visitation will be held at the Coyle Funeral Home at 1770 S. Reynolds Road in Toledo on August 10 from 3:00 until the time of the Scripture service at 7:00 p.m. A man of quiet faith, his funeral mass will be at St. Joan of Arc Parish on Friday, August 11 at 11:00 a.m. with an hour of visitation beginning at 10:00. In lieu of flowers, he asks for donations to be made to Tunnel to Towers – or, as all of you know from Facebook, take a loved one out for an awesome dinner.