Jack Clark Edwards died July 16, 2018, in his home with hospice and family present. He was a long time summer visitor to Fowler and Sylvia Lake. He had promised his wife Beatrice that he would bring her and their children to her hometown every chance possible. They came for more than 60 years, staying for months to visit, sightsee, and attend local events and church.
Although Jack’s ancestors were all southerners, he was born on September 26, 1920 in Los Angeles, CA. He followed his older sister Fifi, appearing as a child star in silent movies. His start was as an infant in Harold Lloyd’s film, “I Do”. He appeared in more than 40 films with Lloyd, and many popular stars. Jack’s film career ended within four years, and his family returned to Florida in time for him to begin school. He lived all over the Tampa Bay area. In early years, he played Tarzan with his friends on the Charles Roebling estate in Clearwater, receiving permission from the owner personally. Roebling was interested in creating amphibious tractors to rescue hurricane victims. By coincidence, Jack was given the opportunity for amphibious tractor training soon after he joined the Marine Corps in 1939.
The training was important for he used the amphibious tractors in many intense battles in the South Pacific during WWII, leading up to the April 1, 1945 arrival to Okinawa. Because others knew he had taught himself Japanese phrases, he was called to help remove an elderly woman from a cave on the island. (He would share this story many decades later in a speech written and given in Japanese at the Japanese Embassy, Washington D.C, and later published in the “St. Petersburg Times”.) Soon after the rescue, Jack earned his Purple Heart on April 6th in battle.
Jack remained in active duty for 20 years. During his service time, he helped Ambassador John Muccio evacuate Seoul, Korea, serving as his personal bodyguard. His experiences with his special Marine unit were shared in the “Leatherneck” many decades later and are also included in the “Truman Papers”. He protected major officers and dignitaries, and was present for the Emancipation of Seoul. Stateside, he was an expert marksman and sharpshooter, settling for second in competition with legendary Marine Walter R. Walsh.
After retirement from the Corps, Jack continued college study at Florida State University. In 1962 he began a teaching career that lasted 20 years with Manatee High and Boca Ciega High, both in the Tampa Bay area, and completed his master’s degree in Mathematics at the Central Michigan University’s summer institute.
After his second retirement, he chose to substitute teach, study college courses in Japanese, and continue his passion for woodworking. In his 90’s, Jack’s life came full circle, when he was contacted by Austin Mutti-Mewse of England who was researching for a second book on early Hollywood film stars. After a lifetime of keeping his early start secret, he suddenly had fan letters from around the world. Austin told of Jack’s beginning in a “U.K. Guardian” article.
Jack loved Bea and all of her family. They enjoyed his humor and willingness to lead in every endeavor at Sylvia Lake.
