Terry Rae Clark

Terry Rae Clark, 67, of Marion, Illinois, passed away peacefully at 6:11 a.m. on October 1, 2026, at home, surrounded by his family.

Terry was born on March 14, 1959, in Marion to Robert and Peggy (Holiday) Clark. The older of the two, Terry, was the best big brother to Gary. Their childhood was full of adventures, including anything with horsepower. That’s where his love for cars, motorcycles, go-karts, and four-wheelers began.

On June 14, 1986, he married the love of his life, Laquetta Nicholson. Together, they built a life, sharing 40 years of love, laughter, and lots of memories while raising their three children and welcoming three grandchildren.

Terry could be found with a cup of coffee, greasy hands, and under the hood of a car. He was a true mechanic at heart; Terry’s work ethic was unmatched. At age 16, he began his working years at Knapp Oil alongside his dad, dedicating 19 years to the company before retiring in March 1998. He later served as a mechanic for the City of Marion Street Department, retiring in 2018 after 20 years of service. Throughout that time, he was lucky enough to have made several lifelong friends. After a full day of work, he came home and continued to work in his garage as a mechanic at his home business, TLC Auto.

Terry was happiest when surrounded by family or outdoors. He loved camping and fishing at Ferne Clyffe and vacationing in Florida with his family. You could find him hiking the trails, riding bikes, relaxing by the fire, and playing with his grandkids. No doubt, with everything he did, he was always playing classic rock music while doing it. After his diagnosis, Terry embraced every single moment with determination and gratitude. A contributing factor to his uplifted spirits was his incredible care team at Alexander Family Practice, Dr. Cuartas, and his special nurses at the Cancer Institute. He lived each day to the fullest, from going to yard sales and traveling in the mini motorhome with Laquetta, house remodels with Ashley, pulling pranks with Katy, working on the El Camino with Nick, to gardening with the grandkids.

Terry is survived by his beloved wife, Laquetta; his children, Ashley Clark, Katy (Jake) Heinz, and Nicholas Clark; and his grandchildren, Leiya, Magnolia, and Navy Heinz, all of Marion, Illinois. He is also survived by his brother, Gary (Trina) Clark of Marion, Illinois; a special cousin, Renee (Don) Timm of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; his brother-in-law, Steve Nicholson of Marion, Illinois; his sister-in-law, Angie (Richie) Tuthill of Vergennes, Illinois; and some nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Peggy Clark; his maternal grandparents, Ralph and Afton Holiday; his paternal grandparents, Raymond and Iva Clark; Aunts, Louise (Thomas) Lewis and Dorthea Clark; Uncle, Jack Clark; sisters-in-law, Jackie (Bill)Taylor and Annetta Lawson; brothers-in-law, Jerry and Eddie Nicholson.

Terry’s kindness, selflessness, and love for his family will be forever missed, but his memory will live on in the hearts of every person who was lucky enough to have known him. If love could have saved him, he would have lived forever. This isn’t goodbye, this is see you later. Put on " Free Bird " by Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Cheers to an extraordinary life that was well lived.

The men who have the honor of carrying him to his final resting place are Carl Howell, Jason Saylor, Chris Fritz, Jeff Pulley, Jeff Pickens, and Buddy Sellars.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Blue Funeral Home under the direction of Binkley-Ross. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, from 4:00 – 6:00 P.M. at Blue Funeral Home located at 1704 North Court Street in Marion. Additional visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, from 10:30 A.M-funeral services begin at 11:00, with Pastor Darrin Clark officiating. Interment will follow at Rosehill Cemetery. Please visit www.binkleyross.com to leave condolences online for the family.