Robert R. Clark Jr.

Published 9:45 pm Thursday, August 10, 2017

Robert R. Clark Jr., 95, slipped quietly away at his residence on Monday, Aug. 7, 2017. He was fondly known as “Bo” (rhymes with so) among his kinfolk, relatives and friends.

Over a decade ago, Bo was preceded in death by his wife of 51 years, Shirley L. Clark, and about one month ago by a son, Valious L. Clark.

A pipefitter by trade, Bo retired from the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 1984 after 33 years of service as a supervisor whose co-workers called him “Doll Baby.” His post-retirement jobs were with Suffolk Public Schools and Ames Department Store as a part-time custodian. He was a member of Metropolitan Baptist Church for more than 30 years and a former member of Galilee Baptist, his home church, in Branchville.

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Blessed with longevity, Bo was preceded in death by two sisters, Nancy “Nannie” Clark, of Suffolk, and Mamie Clark, of Courtland; and his younger brother, James Lee Clarke, of Portsmouth.

His surviving family line includes three sons: Sammie Clark and wife, Denise, of Perry Hall, Md., Robert Wendell Clark and wife, Jackie, of Chesapeake, Lawrence “Lanny” Clark, of Suffolk; two daughters: Cynthia L. Clark (caregiver), of Suffolk, and Suzette Clark, of Chesapeake; a recently widowed daughter-in-law, Geraldine Clark, of Midlothian; four sisters: Catherine E. Clark, of Chesapeake, Emily S. Vick and Concellar Clark, both of Courtland, and Mary V. Clark, of Chesapeake. He also leaves behind eight grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren, a multitude of nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and a devoted friend and neighbor, Bennie L. Darden.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 14, 2017, at Metropolitan Baptist Church. The remains will be placed in the church at 9:30 a.m. Thereafter, he will be laid to rest beside his wife in Carver Memorial Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday from 5 to 6 p.m. Condolences maybe extended to the family at www.crockerfuneralhome.com. Professional services with dignity have been entrusted to Crocker Funeral Home.