William James Clark, Jr., 87, died on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at Charlotte Medical Center Hospital in Pineville, NC.
Born November 24, 1929 in Kingstree, SC to the late William James Clark, Sr and Flower (Blossom) Norris. His family moved to Manning, SC when he was eight years old. He grew up enjoying the life of small town living surrounded by lots of family and loving the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing.
After graduating from Carlisle Military Academy in 1946, he attended Wofford College and the University of South Carolina, where he discovered his love of card playing. He then left school to join the Navy where he served on active duty for one year and reserve duty for six years.
In 1949, he came back to South Carolina to work as a guard at the bomb plant in Aiken for a year. Then he joined Land Air as an aircraft mechanic for the Air Force where he traveled extensively to Japan, Germany, Taiwan, Iceland, and France. In France, he met his wife Irene (Elaine) Nakoniecznyj Clark. They were married for 33 years and had two daughters, Cindy and Simone.
After years of traveling abroad and in the Sates in 1968 he decided to put roots down in his beloved Manning where he owned and operated a small motel called Surburban Pines. In 1972, he became the fuel desk manager of Jerry’s Truckstop for the next 22 years. During this time he and Elaine raised their girls. He was a devoted father teaching his girls how to hunt, fish, water ski and horseback riding. He later enjoyed watching his daughters play basketball in high school and college.
After a short retirement in 1995, he joined the Bank of Clarendon as a courier. For 16 years, he enjoyed performing various duties at the bank until he retired in 2012 at the age of 82.
He is a veteran of the US Navy, a member of the Masonic Lodge and a member of the Jordon United Methodist Church.
He was a true Southern gentleman, loving the company of others and entertaining them with stories and jokes. He had a great sense of humor, loved spending time with his daughters and four grandchildren. Affectionally known as “Wild Bill” and “Apa”, he will be missed by many, especially his family.
Survivors include his two daughters, Cynthia Clark Kennedy (Tony) of Tega Cay, SC and Simone Clark Morris (Ed) of Evans, GA; four grandchildren, Rebecca and Rachel Kennedy and Sean and Haylee Morris; and his brother Lt. Col. (Ret) Robert N. Clark of Manning, SC.
The funeral service will be held at noon on Saturday, September 23, 2017, in the chapel of Stephens Funeral Home with the Rev. Katherine Haselden officiating. Burial will follow in the Manning Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Tony Kennedy, Ed Morris, Sean Morris, Johnny Odom, Ron Wall and Louis Griffith.
Visitation will be one hour prior to the service from 11 a.m. to 12 noon at Stephens Funeral Home.
Memorials may be made to A Second Chance Animal Shelter, P.O. Box 607, Manning, SC 29102 or to the Jordan United Methodist Church, c/o Colleen Bochette, 2048 Bethlehem Road, Manning, SC 29102.
Stephens Funeral Home & Crematory, 304 N. Church Street, Manning, is in charge of arrangements, (803) 435-2179. www.stephensfuneralhome.org
