Robert Gordon Clark, 83, of Virginia Beach, died peacefully on Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2017, while in hospice care.
Mr. Clark is survived by his wife of 64 years, Anne Hooker Clark; daughters, Elizabeth Fisher and her husband Dan, Alice Krebs and her husband William, Suzanne Green and her husband Douglas, and son, Robert Gordon Clark Jr. and his wife Tracie. He is also survived by six grandchildren, Jacqueline Fisher, Katherine Fisher, Margaret Martien, Grace Martien, Fraser Corrywright, and Justin Corrywright; nieces, Ellen Thacker and Dana Epstein, and nephews, Dr. Richard Clark, Thomas Clark, Chris Clark and Christopher Hooker. He was predeceased in death by his brothers, Dr. Richard F. Clark and John B. Clark.
Born at Fort Monroe, he was the son of John and Ellen Clark. He graduated Hampton High School in 1952 and received his BA in Economics in 1956 from the College of William and Mary. He went on to complete a post-graduate certification in Finance and Wealth Management from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, in 1976.
Mr. Clark worked for 24 years in financial services at Wheat First Securities, first as a stockbroker and becoming Senior Vice President. He was proud to have helped create financial security for many individuals, as well as for local businesses, churches and other groups. Previously he was the accounting manager at AT&T Company during which time he was called to active military duty. He was a U.S. Army Captain, serving as the Finance Officer for the 7th Division in Korea 1956-58. He then returned to work in the family business, Slaughter Lumber Company in Phoebus.
Bob held many roles in his community including serving as President of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, Director of the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, and Director of the Hampton Roads Regional Better Business Bureau. He was Church Warden at St John’s Episcopal Church, Hampton and Ware Episcopal Church, Gloucester. He truly relished the friends he made in business and in the community.
Bob had a great love and appreciation of the Chesapeake Bay and the Ware River; he spent hours fishing, softshell crabbing, cruising and racing sailboats. He very much enjoyed sharing stories of his extensive world travels with his family and friends.
A memorial service in honor of his life was held on Wednesday, Aug. 30 at 3 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Hampton, and he was inurned following the service in a family plot at the church cemetery.
The family would like to thank Ruth’s Care and Kindred Hospice for the loving care provided at the end of his life.
Donations may be made to the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and to The Alzheimer’s Association in lieu of flowers.
Arrangements by R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home, Hampton, Va.