William J. Clarke

William J. Clarke, 79, of Clarks Summit, died Sunday morning at Geisinger Community Medical Center. His wife is the former Patricia Brzostek. The couple had celebrated their 56th anniversary on Aug. 1.

Born in Dalton, he was the son of the late Edward J. Clarke Sr. and Teresa Cadden Clarke. He graduated from Dalton High School in 1954. After serving in the U.S. Army for three years, he attended the Evening College at the University of Scranton, and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Business and Accounting in 1970. He honorably served his country in Germany for two and a half years. He attained the rank of SP2 in the 293rd Engineer Battalion, and was the Battalion Personnel Sergeant.

Upon release from the service, he was employed by Haddon Craftsmen in Scranton. He then began his 17 year banking career at the Central State Bank in Dalton, and as Manager of the Third National Bank of Chinchilla. He owned an executive search company from 1976 to 1981. Bill was employed as an Office Manager and Controller at Petersburg Silk Mill, and then as Chief Fiscal Officer at the Institute for Human Resources and Services in Kingston, for over 20 years. He was also a board member of the Institute for Human Resources, a member of Our Lady of the Snows Parish and the VFW Post 7069 in Clarks Summit.

He and his wife loved to travel. They traveled to Europe, the Caribbean several times, as well as many states and Canada. He loved going to baseball games and saw games at Fenway Park, Yankee Stadium, LA's Chavez Ravine, Wrigley Field, Veterans Stadium/Citizens Bank Park, Comerica Park, PNC Park, Petco Park, Coors Field, Camden Yards, Tropicana Field, as well as the local Phillies and Yankees. He visited Jacobs Field in Cleveland, and PacBell Park in San Francisco. He and his wife even saw a game at the old Griffith Park in Washington, D.C., during their high school class trip in 1954.

He is survived by two children, Robert and wife, Christy, Factoryville; Michelle Bielovitz and her husband, Kirk (Butch), King George, Va.; three sisters, Dorothea, Dalton; Janet and her husband, Jack; Lois and her husband, James, Taylor; and six grandchildren, Amanda, Justin, Devon, Ashleigh, Julia and Brayden.

He was preceded in death by an infant son, John Patrick in 1966; and a daughter, Mary Elizabeth Adams in 2008; sisters, Marian in 1918; and Joan in 1987; brothers, James in 1937; and Edward Jr. in 1999.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday at 10 a.m. from Our Lady of the Snows Church, 301 S. State St., Clarks Summit, under the direction of Eric T. Parry F.D. All those attending Mass are asked to go directly to church.

Friends and family may call Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Lawrence E. Young Funeral Home, 418 S. State St., Clarks Summit.

Interment will be held privately at the convenience of the family in Cathedral Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of the Snows Church.