LITTLE CREEK - James E. Clark (Clarkie) died Friday, May 23, 2014, at Kent General Hospital in Dover surrounded by his family after a short illness. Born in Dover on Sept. 4, 1924, he was the son of the late Mary Berry. He attended Dover High School until he was drafted into the United States Army to serve during World War II at age 17. He underwent basic and advance infantry training at Ft. McCullen, Ala. He was assigned to the 35th Infantry Division and sailed for North Africa in Sept. 1943. He participated in the invasion of Italy in 1944 but returned to North Africa and was hospitalized for non-battle illness. When returned to duty, he was reclassified as a Transportation Dispatcher and assigned to the 1st Transportation Regulating Detachment, 5th US Army. He participated and saw combat action in Naples-Foggia, North Apennine, Po Valley and Rome-Amino campaigns. He was honorably discharged on Nov. 26, 1945. His individual awards & decorations include; Army Good Conduct Medal, European African Middle Eastern Service Medal with three campaign stars and Marksmanship Badge. Upon returning from World War II, he planned on finishing high school but went to work for the Delaware Electric Company. In Feb. 1948, he and four co-workers were driving across the Indian River Inlet Bridge in two vehicles when the bridge collapsed into the inlet. He and one co-worker survived after escaping from his vehicle which also fell into the inlet, they tried to save the other three men who were in a different truck but were unsuccessful. He was the last survivor of that tragedy. In 1950, he opened Clarks Atlantic station at Governors Ave. and North St. in Dover. Two years later he opened Clarkie's Sinclair Service at US 13 & White Oak in Dover. In April 1956, he added a U-Haul franchisee to his Sinclair station, becoming the first U-Haul dealer in Dover and continued to operate that U-Haul dealership until his death, a total of fifty-eight years. When the U-Haul Corporation celebrated his 50 year anniversary as a dealer in 2006 at the Dover Downs Hotel, the Delaware Department of Education presented him with an honorary High School diploma. Clarkie was one of the original founding members of the Dover Elks Lodge B.P.O.E. #1903 and was the last survivor of that group. He was a member of DELVETS (Delaware Veterans) Post 2 in Dover, where he was the Sargent-At-Arms; the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 3 in Dover where he served as an Associate Trustee, and the National Rifle Association. He was also a former member of the Walter L. Fox American Legion Post No. 2 in Dover. In addition to his mother, he was preceded in death by his half-brother, Charles Bradley of Dover; brother-in-laws, Robert E. Quillen Sr. of Dover, Vernon Carrow and his wife Billie, of Springfield, Pa.; his sister-in-laws, Francis Carrow Pyatt and her husband Donald, of Little Creek, and Dorothy Carrow of Lewes. He is survived by his lifelong companion of 64 years, his loving wife, Hester A. Carrow-Clark of Little Creek; his brother-in-laws, Warren F. Carrow of Dover, Charles L. Carrow and his wife Michele, of Smyrna; and his sister-in-laws, Jean C. Quillen of Dover and Ellen Bradley of Dover; he is also survived by several nieces and nephews. Friends may call on Wednesday May 28, 2014, between 6 – 8 p.m. at Torbert Funeral Chapel, 1145 Lebanon Road, Dover. Services will be 11:30 a.m. Thursday, May 29, 2014, at Torbert Funeral Chapel, 1145 Lebanon Road, Dover. Burial will be in Silver Lake Cemetery in Dover. Flowers are welcome or family suggests contributions be made to either the Little Creek Fire Company, PO Box 327, Little Creek, DE 19961 or The Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 3, 1584 Kitts Hummock Road, Dover, DE 19901. Letters of condolences may be sent and guest book signed at www.torbertfuneral.com