Raymond H. Clarke, Jr., 79, of Hockessin, died peacefully on Wednesday, Nov. 11, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease.
Born in 1941, to the late Raymond H. Clarke, Sr. & Hilda M. Sutliff in Flushing, NY, Raymond attended PS 41 in Bayside, N.Y. & Bayside HS. He then went on to pursue his higher education at Fordham University in Bronx, NY.
Raymond began his professional career in 1959 as a banker with JP Morgan in NYC. He remained a dedicated employee of the company for 36 years. He was one of the banking officers tasked with opening the Morgan Christiana DE site & in 1987 he moved his family to DE. Raymond ultimately retired as a Senior Vice President for the company. Following his banking career, Raymond served as the office manager for Dr. Anna C. Giacalone in Chadds Ford, PA.
Raymond enjoyed spending time with family, listening to classical & opera music, and reading. Many BBQs, parties, and family events were held in the Clarke households, both in NY and in Delaware. Raymond was always in the middle of things serving food, cleaning up, or offering friends & family members a cold beverage. Both Raymond & Doreen enjoyed traveling and spending time with social groups like the church youth group, Mr. & Mrs. Club in NY, the Bunco crew, and the Sages of St. Mary of the Assumption in DE. Raymond was a trusted friend & confidante to more people than anyone could imagine. He was always ready with a word of advice, a few dollars to help you make ends meet, or a safe place to sit and talk about life. Above all, Raymond loved the Lord. He served the Lord in many capacities. No job was too big or too small for him. At different times throughout the years, he was seen sweeping the sidewalks, decorating for holidays, running the kitchen at VBS, & serving on the school board of the church's elementary school. He also held various official positions including congregational President at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Bayside, NY, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Newark, DE, & Concordia Lutheran Church in Wilmington, DE.
Raymond is survived by his loving wife, Doreen S. Clarke, with whom he shared 52 years of marriage. He is also survived by his daughter, Leanne Bier (Steven) & his son, David Clarke (Dawn); his grandchildren, Austin & Emma Clarke, Jeremy Bier, Sean, Brianna, & Casey Abate, all of whom will cherish the memories they have of him forever; his brothers, Theodore Clarke (Laraine) of Port Charlotte, FL & Tracy Clarke of Wilmington, DE; brothers-in-law, Donald Supper (Barbara) of Tucson, AZ & Gary Supper of Glen Head, NY; as well as numerous nieces & nephews.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a funeral service was held privately for Raymond's immediate family on Tuesday, Nov. 17, A celebration of Raymond's life for all his family & friends will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the Clarke family suggests memorial contributions be made in Raymond's name to Concordia Lutheran Church, 3003 Silverside Rd., Wilmington, DE 19810.
To offer condolences, please visit www.dohertyfh.com
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