When Christopher Clark first came up with the idea of running for mayor of Harvey, he ran it by his daughters.
They did not give him their blessing at first.
“We said ‘no,’’’ his daughter, Kristen Clark, said. “We didn’t think that people deserved our dad.”
But when the late mayor said it was his “calling from God” it convinced them to give him the thumbs up.”
Clark was mayor for six years before dying in office at age 56 on Jan. 30 from an undisclosed illness.
More than 200 people gathered Saturday morning at the St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church in Harvey to celebrate his life.
Kristen was one of the speakers and said at first she hesitated about talking about her father as the mayor, but thought about it and felt it was appropriate because of the affection he had for the city.
“He didn’t just serve the city of Harvey, he loved it with his whole heart,” she said. “Harvey wasn’t just where he lived, it was a part of who he was.
“Every decision he made was made with the desire to see the city thrive and to succeed. Harvey meant everything to him up until the moment he left.”
Christopher was the father to Jaime, Erica and Kristen and grandfather to eight.
Kristen enjoyed remembering him as her parent.
“Dad was my best friend, my rock and he was the one who taught me how to play tennis, how to drive and taught me and my sisters how to change a tire and jump a car,” she said.
Clark has been gone for close to two months, but some speakers were emotional during their remarks, including Illinois state Rep. Will Davis.
“I am generally not at a loss for words, but this one is tough,” Davis said. “This one is difficult. He was a complicated man but not complicated in a bad way.”
More Top Picks Best Mattresses For Acid Reflux And Gerd
Davis thanked God for allowing Clark to serve people as a friend, mentor and elected official.
“He served us and he served us well,” Davis said.
Shirley Drewenski is acting mayor of Harvey and she said she met Clark in 2014 and had conversations about what Harvey could be.
Clark was elected to the counsel as an alderman a year later.
“When we were on the same page, there was no stopping us,” Drewenski said. “But if we were I were in different books — look out. But he usually won.
“He convinced me and educated me and fast-tracked me. Our common denominator was that we both loved Harvey.”
There will be an election in April 2027, to determine Clark’s replacement and Virginia Thornton, the owner of Civil Limit Consultant, announced at Saturday’s event she will run for mayor
“I am announcing my candidacy as a friend to Chris,” she said. “I’ve gotten to know him and he was an ordinary person. But he was an extraordinary person.”
Speakers talked about Clark’s love for his daughters, the Cubs and Prince.
Clark was first elected mayor in 2019, replacing Eric Kellogg who ran out of term limits. Clark was reelected in 2023.
Shortly before his death, Clark was dealing some heavy issues in the community, including a financial situation that in October that caused more than 40% of the city’s workforce to be furloughed indefinitely.
Some unhappy residents called for his resignation after that. Activist Jedidiah Brown said criticism of Clark was unfair because the problems the city faced would have happened on any mayor’s watch.
“His work was about the necessary survival of Harvey,” Brown said.
Clark worked as a steelworker at Allie Tube & Conduit from 1996 through 2004, according to his LinkedIn resume.
The Thornridge graduate said he helped educate employees in Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Department of Labor regulations, represented employees in contract negotiation, grievances and arbitrations, coordinated mill operation and production plus assisted with logistical operations.
He received a law degree from the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minnesota in 2009.
“He was a mentor to a lot of people,” Kristen Clark said. “And he took pride in that title.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.