On Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2022, Raymond Foster Clarke, a beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother, passed away at the age of 84. He was preceded in death by his father, Foster Gates Clarke, and his mother, Nellie Ethel Jones Clarke; his brothers, David Raleigh Clarke and William Franklin Clarke; one sister, Ethel Virginia Clarke Moore; a special nephew, David Charles Willis; and his brother-in-law, Charles Edward Evans.
He is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Mary Anne Evans Clarke; son, Joseph Foster Clarke, granddaughter, Sofie Addelyn Clarke; daughter, Ginger Collette Quick (Chad Eric Quick); grandsons Ian Asa Quick and Michael Sebastian Quick; brothers James Henry Clarke Sr, Joe Nathan Clarke and Hugh Morrison Clarke; and sisters-in-law, Ruth Marie Evans Willis and Syble Evans.
Raymond was a retired school administrator, having served as a classroom teacher, an elementary school principal, a secondary school principal and an administrative assistant to the superintendent of the Cullman City Schools. The elementary school, where he served as principal for approximately 15 years, earned the National Pace Setter Award presented by the Department of HEW for innovative practices in public schools. He served as the state secretary of the Alabama Department of Elementary School Principals, the state president of the Alabama Department of Elementary School Principals, on the Cullman City Council, on the Cullman City School Board and on the Cullman Gas Board. He also served for 10 years as the operational director of Rolling Hills Nazarene Camp in Calera, Alabama. He is an award-winning published author who has also written 15 Christian booklets. Over 20,000 copies of these booklets have been distributed nationwide at no cost to the recipients.
Visitation begins at 10 a.m. and services begin at 11 a.m. at Cullman Heritage Funeral Home this Saturday, Nov. 5.
