Leonard Stokes Clark

WOODFIN—Leonard Stokes Clark, age 81, of 22 Mulberry St., went to be with his creator on Friday, October 12, 2012. He was born in Barnardsville on January 20, 1931. His father was Vernon Rufus Clark and his mother was Ada Anders Clark. In addition to his parents he was also preceded in death by his brothers, Ted Arnold Clark, Lloyd Clark and Donald Clark. Mr. Clark was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He had 20 years of experience in law enforcement serving in the N.C. Department of Corrections and retiring from the Asheville Police Department. He was a Private Detective and a Finger Print Expert. He was a Mason, a Past Worthy Patron of the Biltmore Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, as well as a Past District Deputy Grand Patron of the Eastern Star. He was a member of the Scottish Rite and a member of the Shriner Oasis Temple. Mr. Clark was a contributor to the St. Jude's Cancer Research Center for Children and a member of the Gold Book Society of the Shriner's Hospital for Crippled Children. Mr. Clark served as Vice Mayor and Alderman for the town of Woodfin. He self-published three books and was a songwriter, publishing four songs, one of which is in the Rockabilly Hall of Fame 2002. He built the Brookside Chapel on New Stock Road in 1984. He was a business owner of Clark's Hydraulics in Woodfin since 1965. He is survived by his wife, Mae Christina Penley Clark; two sons, Leonard Kim Clark and wife Joan McLean Clark, and David Stephen Clark and wife Debbie Baston Clark; sister-in-law, Susie Ward Clark; nine grandchildren, and twenty-one great grandchildren. His funeral service will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, October 14, 2012, in the Chapel of West Funeral Home, 17 Merrimon Ave., Weaverville, with Rev. Drew Mabry officiating. Burial will be in Ashelawn Gardens of Memory with Masonic graveside rites by the Biltmore Lodge #446 A.F. & A.M., of which he was a member. The family will receive friends from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Sunday prior to the funeral. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations in his honor to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or the Shriner's Hospital for Children, 950 West Faris St., Greenville, SC 29605. For those who desire, condolences may be offered to the family under Mr. Clark's obituary at www.WestFamilyFuneralServices.com.