For longer than many have lived, Collier Lee and Ben Clark have been best friends.
Lee and Clark, both 92, said they can’t credit one particular thing for their longevity, both in life and in friendship, “it’s just that we have a lot in common,” Clark said.
Lee and Clark both went to Pine Bluff High School, played sports together and went into World War II together. Lee was stationed in the Pacific, while Clark was in Europe.
“After we got back, the principal gathered all of us who had gone to war and said we didn’t have to worry about graduating, they were going to give us our diplomas,” Lee said.
Lee, who still lives in Jefferson County, and Clark, who now resides in Arkadelphia, don’t get to see each other as often as they’d like, but they make the most of each visit. Clark drove down to Pine Bluff last week for a brief get together. Both men are still spry and full of spirit.
Lee is a retired Jefferson County farmer, and Clark is retired from the former Arkansas Power and Light company.
As for memories, both say there are a flood of them.
“Collier lived in a big old house when we were kids, and he had a huge train set; we would line up toy Civil War soldiers and play army,” Clark said. “We are both Civil War buffs. We had a great time.”
As for Lee, he can’t imagine what life would have been like all these years without his best friend.
“I just thought this was something unique, us having been friends for so long,” he said. “I just wanted people to know about it. Friendship is so important in life. We’ve had a good time together.”