Clinton Herald, Iowa, Clinton column

May 31--Oftentimes, we use this space to write about the effects that issues, council action and events have on our community.

Today, we use it for a similar reason. The difference, though, is that our focus is on the impact made within this community by a man who gave of himself for more than 45 years.

Jack Darr died last weekend at the age of 78 after a four-month battle with cancer. Jack was a member of the Clinton Herald's extended family in that his wife, Lynne, had been employed here as the anchorwoman of CHTV news and then later as a staff writer and business editor; Jack and Lynne also were good friends of the former publishers Jack Dermody, who died in 2000, and Bob Evans, who died earlier this year.

When an obituary comes into the Clinton Herald newsroom, along with the information about the services, family and work history, families often choose to list the memberships and activities in which the person was involved in throughout his or her life.

Jack was well-known in the city and the area through his work in the insurance industry. A native of Ottumwa, he came to Clinton in the mid-1960s as the result of his work as an insurance adjuster. While that job transferred him out of Clinton, he and his family moved back here in 1969 when he became a partner in the Neubauer-Darr Insurance agency. Over the years, he acquired a number of smaller agencies and changed the name to The Insurance Group.

Alongside of heading up his insurance business, Jack was extremely active in the community. He served on the Board of Directors of Clinton National Bank, Jane Lamb Hospital, Riverboat Days and was president of the Clinton Area Development Company. He served as chairman of the Clinton Park Board, was past president of Operation Pride in Clinton and the Clinton Gyro Club. He also had been a member of Rotary, Clinton Jaycees, Clinton Kiwanis and the Clinton Country Club.

At the Herald we have a library full of files, yellow envelopes with a number on them, with each envelope containing newspaper clippings of the person assigned the number.

When perusing through Jack's file this week, it is easy to see that he was extremely connected to this community, both through his service to Clinton organizations over the years and his business, which now is headed up by his business partner and son-in-law Mark Mangler.

It gets us to thinking how important service to the community is. It is so easy to complain about what is wrong with this or that about a particular community.

There are many today who serve as Jack did, but many more could always get involved to help build the community up and shape it for the future.

As such, his service to this community is an example to be followed.

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