Charles Owen Clarke, 88, passed peacefully among family at his home in Bell, Florida, on Wednesday, February 4, 2009. Charlie is the son of Gary and Lucille Clarke; and the brother of Hartwell, James, Mildred and Samuel, all of whom preceded him in death. He was, as he often stated, a Lucky Man, who was blessed with a full life that brimmed with loving family, the closest of friends, fulfilling work, and the satisfaction that comes from embracing both life's beauty and its challenges. Charlie was a focused man, whose innate talents and formidable discipline allowed him to be a great success in his professional life. After humble beginnings with Conwood Corporation, he rose to be the company's Vice-President, and retired after 34 years at the relatively young age of 61. At the end of World War II, like most veterans of the Air Corp, he was given a test to help determine his vocational aptitudes as he returned to civilian life. His pointed to forest management, but with a young family already budding, and no education in that field, it was a path he could not pursue. However, in retirement Charlie made up for lost time, purchasing remote property in the mountains of East Tennessee and in the North Florida Highlands. He spent the next 20 years nurturing those lands for conservation purposes, and leaves them today far more capable of supporting the wildlife he so loved. Charlie was a lifelong photographer, and relished showing the pictures that chronicled his life, that of his family, and framed his dear friends in the numerous settings around the country in which they enjoyed themselves. As he valiantly confronted Alzheimer's in his final years, the pictures of his early life in Charlottesville always grounded him and renewed his love of life. Charlie is survived by his wife, Lorraine, a rare woman whose zest for life stimulated his own for the 65 years they were together. They raised three children, Christina, Dennis, and Tracy, and endured the grief of losing Christina eight years ago. Their three grandchildren, Zoe, Ty and Chance have been true sources of joy, and assuring testaments to their lives' bounty and endurance. The family, in line with Charles support of, request that any memorials be sent to The Miller School, 1000 Samuel Miller Loop, Charlottesville, VA 22903. The Watson Funeral Home in Trenton, Florida, is in charge of arrangements. (Published in the Charlottesville Daily Progress 2/8/2009)

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