William Clarke

CLARKE William (Bill) With sadness, grief and finally relief for our Father, we announce the passing of Bill Clarke, at the age of 92, on April 2nd, 2020, at Carbonear Hospital, with his devoted love, Catherine Pennell at his side. Our Father loved and cared for his Family his whole life. He went 'on the Labrador' at age 12 and subsequently sailed as mate on his Father, Wallace's schooners, supplying Newfoundland outports, during, and for a time, after World War II, always giving at least half his wages to his mother, Mary (Hefford), to help support his five younger sisters. In the late 1940's he moved to Canada and worked up to 16 hours a day on cargo boats plying the Great Lakes trade. On a Toronto stopover in 1950 he met the love of his life, our Mother, Susie (Morgan) & they were subsequently married for over 50 years, until her death in 2003. Once we came along he took a job with ADT as a burglar alarm installer & stayed with that firm for 35 years allowing him to properly provide for and house his family. In the early 1960's he took up with the second love of his life, Freemasonry. He memorized the Masonic Ritual inside and out and was proud to be a member, after he retired and moved back from Toronto, of many Lodges in the Bay Area of Newfoundland. In 2017 he was extremely honoured to be awarded a 50 Year Medal by the Grand Lodge of Newfoundland. Our Father was a Good Man and they are hard to find. We are all grateful for his life and will miss him tremendously. All our love, Dad, from your Son, Wallace; your Daughter, Ruby; our spouses & your 9 grand-children & 9 great grand-children; your loving Sisters & all of their extended families. As per our Father's request, cremation has taken place. There will be a full Masonic Funeral Service held at a later date this year, due to these 'strange times' we are living in. Also per his request, donations may be made in his name to the Mazol Shrine Centre (for children), Patient Transportation Fund, 530 Topsail Rd., St. John's, NL, A1C 2E5.