Lloyd Clarke Obituary

Lloyd Eugene Clarke, 95, passed away peacefully on Friday, December 6, 2024, at the Pavillion at Penney Farms, FL. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 pm, Friday, December 20, 2024, at The Cathedral Church of St. Paul. Burial will follow at Resthaven Cemetery. The visitation, service and burial will be recorded to view at www.ilesCares.com after the services are over. To watch the livestreaming of the service, go to https://www.youtube.com/@stpaulsdm/streams then click on the Live tab, it will be accessible approx. 10 minutes prior to the service starting. To watch livestreaming of the burial, go to www.ilesCares.com you can access it on Lloyd's obituary page.

Lloyd was born September 11, 1929, on a ranch just outside of Medicine Lodge, Kansas to Lloyd Lincoln Clarke and Geraldine Estell Wilson Clarke. He attended Kansas State and UCLA and then joined the U.S. Air Force. It was there that he met his wife, Carol L. Colby, who was attending Colorado Women’s College (Now Denver University). The couple married on August 30, 1952, at Lowry Air Force Base by a military chaplain. This began a marriage that has lasted 61 ½ years. Upon Lloyd's discharge from the Air Force the couple moved to Carol's hometown Des Moines, Iowa, joined her church, and he went into the same business as Carol's father, Charles Iowa Colby, in home building and development.

In 1954 Lloyd and Carol started forming a number of businesses under the umbrella known as the Clarke Companies. Over the years they grew into a multi-state corporation specializing in real estate developing, property management and mortgage banking. He was President of the National Association of Home Builders of the U.S.; Appointed by President’s Johnson and Nixon to the Executive Committee & Board of Directors of the Federal National Mortgage Association, requiring confirmation by the U.S. Senate.; Chairman of the National Housing Center Commission; a member of the National Housing Center “Hall of Fame”; Commissioner of the Iowa DOT; Chairman of the Greater DM Chamber; Chairman of the Iowa Chapter of the National Conference of Christians and Jews; among many others.

In 1957 John James Clarke, the only child of Carol and Lloyd, was born in Des Moines. He married his wife Jody in 1981, and they blessed them with four grandchildren. Lloyd and Carol lived in several communities including Memphis, TN, Boca Raton, Bonita Springs, and Fort Lauderdale, FL., Lloyd living later in The Villages, Delray Beach, Aventura and Penney Farms, FL.

Lloyd and Carol enjoyed extensive world traveling and yachting, sailing, flying, golfing, Quarter horses, skeet shooting, hunting and raising German Short Haired Pointers. But their favorite thing to do was to spend time with their son, daughter-in-law and their four loving grandchildren. Lloyd wished to share here that he was especially grateful for the love and care that he received from his family since Carol’s passing.

Lloyd served numerous terms on the Vestry and served as Senior Warden at St. Paul’s Cathedral, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Bonita Springs, and St. George Episcopal Church, The Villages.

Survivors include his son, John James (Jody) Clarke of Orange Park, FL; grandchildren: Carolyn Ann Clarke of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Andrew Charles Clarke of Middleburg, FL, Gregory James Clarke of Des Moines, Douglas John Clarke of Fort Lauderdale, Fl; brother, John Wilson Clarke (Celie) Barnsdall, OK. Lloyd was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Carol.

The family will receive friends 5-7:00 pm, Thursday, December 19, 2024, at Westover Funeral Home, the Masonic Service will begin at 6:30 PM and will be conducted by M.W. Bro. Bill Post P.G.M.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Cathedral Preservation Fund of The Cathedral Church of St. Paul. Online condolences are welcome at www.IlesCares.com.

ARRANGEMENTS BY ILES ~ WESTOVER CHAPEL.

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