Phi Tau is saddened to report the loss of Hall of Fame member Judge Roy “Denny” Clunk, Mount Union ‘48. Judge Clunk entered Chapter Eternal on April 18th, 2021, following a short illness. He was 91 years old. He is survived by his wife, Josephine, his four sons, his son-in-law, 17 grandchildren, 3 step-grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, his daughter, his step-grandson, and his sister.

Judge Clunk was born in Canton, Ohio, in 1930 to Dr. Roy H. Clunk, Mount Union ‘19, and Marjorie Clunk. He served as a judge in Alliance country for over 30 years. He began his career at the Alliance Municipal Court in 1978 and he was appointed to the Start Country Probate Court in 1985, where he served until his retirement in 2003. He continued to serve as a retired assigned Common Pleas Court Judge until 2014. Judge Clunk was recognized as a leading probate judge and in 2003 received the prestigious “Trent Award of Excellence” by the National College of Probate Judges.

Judge Clunk was an active member of his community. He served as president of the Alliance Citizens Hospital Association, Alliance Area Youth Center, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Parish Council, and many other community organizations.

Important to him was an enduring relationship with Phi Kappa Tau and the Epsilon chapter. Judge Clunk served many years on the Board of Governors for the Epsilon chapter and was inducted into the National Hall of Fame in 2018. Judge Clunk leaves behind a legacy at the Epsilon chapter. His son, Roy Clunk, Mount Union ‘75, is heavily involved in the Epsilon chapter and his grandaaughter’s husband, Matt Tesrake, is an honorary-initiated member. Judge Clunk’s father, Dr. Roy H. Clunk, joined only four years after the Epsilon chapter was founded in 1915 and helped grow the young chapter. The Clunk family was featured in the Spring 2020 edition of The Laurel as an enduring legacy family.

Read his full obituary here.