Grand Rapids Sport's Legend Clarence J. Bouknight Passes
Clarence was one of the best athletes to ever walk the streets of Grand Rapids. Clarence was the youngest of two children born to the late Shirley J and Vera A Bouknight on June 16, 1935 in Grand Rapids, MI.
He attended Grand Rapids Central High School from 1949 and graduated in 1953. He played Baseball, Basketball, Football, and ran track. He held a school record in shot put as well. He was all State/city and team captain in almost every sport the entire time he was at Central. He was also on Varsity Club all four years.
After high school, he should have gone to the NFL but was drafted to the United States Army instead. He attended the Army for a little over four years and played Football and Volleyball for the Army's teams. In 1965 He played semi professional football for the Blazers. Clarence married the late Helen Davis-Bouknight.
They had three children.
He was the best husband and father a family could ask for.
He treated everyone with love, honor, respect and he was a man of integrity. Clarence always had a kind word, a smile, a hug and a kiss for everyone he encountered. He had a loving heart and was one of the most positive persons out there. You would never hear a bad word about him because he was such a wonderful person.
He was so close with the Davis family that you would never know he was the brother in law. He smiled, laughed and joked right up to his very last breath and during his illness he never complained. Last year his legs were amputated and he was so positive about the loss of his legs. He said the amputation took away almost all of his pain. Clarence surly should have been the poster child for amputees because he never complained one time about loosing his legs.
Clarence was not a very religious person but he believed in The Lord with his whole heart. Clarence worked as a Supervisor at the Meier Distribution Center in Walker, MI for twenty-eight years and retired at the age of 55. He lived a long life of happiness. His life was one big party. He lived for the weekend as his daughter would always say.
He was preceded in death by his parents Shirley and Vera Bouknight, his two sisters Claire and Yvonne, and his loving wife of 66 years Helen. Clarence leaves to Cherish his memory one son Terrance (Bonnie)Bouknight, And two daughters, Debra Jennings, and Gina (Douglas) Smith. grandchildren, Tonya Arnold, Terran(Simone) Bouknight,David (Helen) Badger- Bouknight, Clarence Bouknight ll, Kinneth Sr(Vanessa) Bouknight, Janai Johnson, Douglas Smith Jr., Deja Smith and Desmond Smith. A host of great grandchildren and great great grandchildren.
Clarence was a man of integrity, a Veteran, a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a grand father, a surrogate father to many, a cousin, an uncle and a friend to many. He will truly be missed but his loving memory will live on. The family of Clarence Bouknight I would like to thank the wonderful staff at Vista Springs Wyoming retirement community, the entire staff at the Grand Rapids Veterans medical facility, and the Metro U of M health hospital. We all would like to extend a special sentiment to his daughter Debra who cared for him with everything in her for many years. May God bless you all.
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