GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

H	1 

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 1463

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Sponsors: Representative Barefoot.

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Referred to:  Rules, Calendar and Operations of the House.

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May 5, 1999

A JOINT RESOLUTION HONORING THE LIFE AND MEMORY OF DAVID CLARK, A FORMER MEMBER OF THE NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
Whereas, David Clark was born on July 4, 1922, in Lincolnton, North Carolina, to Thorne McKenzie Clark and Mabel Gossett Clark; and
Whereas, David Clark descended from a family that had distinguished itself in State and national affairs:  his father, Thorne McKenzie Clark, served as a member of the North Carolina General Assembly in 1937-1938; his grandfather, Judge Walter Clark, served as Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court; his great-grandfather, William Alexander Graham, served as Governor of North Carolina, United States Senator, Secretary of the United States Navy, and was the nominee of the Whig Party for Vice President of the United States in 1852; and his great-great-grandfather, General Joseph Graham, was a hero of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812; and
Whereas, David Clark served as a first lieutenant in the United States Army Air Force from 1943 to 1946, seeing action in the Pacific as a bomber pilot, and was awarded a Pacific Theater of Operations Decorated Air Medal; and
Whereas, David Clark graduated from Washington and Lee University in 1947 and from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1950; and
Whereas, David Clark maintained a successful law practice in Lincolnton from 1950 until his death in 1997; and
Whereas, David Clark was deeply interested and involved in the political affairs of North Carolina throughout his life, serving with distinction in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 1951 to 1957 and in the North Carolina Senate in 1963; and
Whereas, David Clark was appointed by Governors Umstead and Hodges to chair the State Government Reorganization Commission from 1955 to 1957, from which came many measures and initiatives that improved and modernized State government; and
Whereas, David Clark narrowly missed election to the United States House of Representatives on two occasions when he ran spirited campaigns against Charles Raper Jonas; and
Whereas, David Clark devoted much of his professional life to the economic growth and development of his native State and the southeast:  he was one of the visionaries whose dream became reality in the Research Triangle Park; he was a successful and innovative real estate developer in varied projects that ranged from major condominium and apartment complexes in Washington, D.C., and Maryland to the first shopping center in Lincoln County to large commercial egg production facilities in Georgia, North Carolina, and Minnesota, to a 104-room motel in Florida to a 2,000-acre cattle farm in Lincoln County.  He was a tireless recruiter of industry to North Carolina; and 
Whereas, David Clark saw the value and economy of air transportation of goods and materials, and to that end, he created several commercial aviation companies including Mountain Air Cargo, Inc., the very first tenant in the State's Global TransPark; and
Whereas, David Clark was a valuable and dedicated business leader in North Carolina and served as a board member of many companies including Cameron Brown Investment Group, Burris Industries, Washburn Graphics, Carolina First National Bank, and Lincoln County Broadcasting, Inc., (the first radio station in Lincoln County); and
Whereas, David Clark was a volunteer in many civic, cultural, and charitable causes, some of which included the Crossnore School, the American Red Cross, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Masons, and Rotary International; and
Whereas, David Clark was a long-time member of First Presbyterian Church of Lincolnton where he served as an officer and Sunday School teacher; and
Whereas, David Clark died on April 18, 1997; and
Whereas, David Clark was a devoted husband to his beloved wife, the former Kathryn King Goode, who predeceased him; a loving father to his four children, David, Jr., Allison, Walter, and Caroline; and a doting grandfather to his grandchildren; and
Whereas, David Clark will be remembered for his many contributions to the State of North Carolina; and
Whereas, the General Assembly wishes to show its appreciation for his life and accomplishments and extend its sincere sympathy to his family; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
Section 1.  The General Assembly expresses high esteem and regard for the extraordinary life and service of David Clark and mourns the loss of one of North Carolina's distinguished native sons.
Section 2.  The General Assembly extends its sincere sympathy to the family of David Clark for the loss of a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend.
Section 3.  The Secretary of State shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the family of David Clark.
Section 4.  This resolution is effective upon ratification.