An Okie in the family

Derrick Clark, with Liberty and Barrett, with the Mississippi River in the background

He waited till press day.

It was pre-press day at the Waurika News Democrat 45 years ago, which means we worked late Tuesday night getting the paper ready to go to bed.

I was fretting because my wife Neysa was  more than ready to give birth to our fourth child, and if you've never worked on a weekly newspaper, with a small staff, the day before is a constant barrage of deadlines and duties to be met. 

But Derrick Rogers Clark, the first native Okie in the Clark family since his granddad and granduncles, waited till Wednesday for us to drive 25 miles north to Duncan.

There he was born, 10 pounds and four ounces, gaining the early nickname of "Tank."

He hasn't waited on much since then, a joy of blessings to his brothers and sister, his Mom and Dad, his grandparents and many more

And now, for his children Liberty Faye and Barrett Bryderick, in Iowa, where ironically, his siblings were born.

He's a musician, a psychologist, a passionate papa and politically involved independent-thinking man of courage and strong beliefs.  

Happy Birthday, my Son.