John Patrick Clarke

Our Beloved father, John Patrick Clarke, Jr. passed away peacefully in his home on November 17, 2024 at the age of 89. He is survived by his children Susan Clarke, Terrence Clarke and John and Tania Clarke, also by grandchildren Katherine Clarke, Emily Clarke, Ian Clarke, Olivia Clarke, Jasmyn and Darren Brown, Acacia and Cody Marcigliano, Kathryn Nice, Allyson Diesburg, Aidan Clarke and Reagan Clarke; great

grandchildren Hendrix and Ellington Brown; and his brother Kenneth Clarke. John was preceded in death by his wife, Kathleen Diane (Smith) Clarke, in 2020.

John was born in Brooklyn, New York on December 16, 1934. His childhood in Brooklyn instilled a lifelong passion for fishing, and he loved to talk about it to anyone who would listen. John and Diane met and bonded over their mutual appreciation for travel and continued to share this throughout their long and happy 61-year marriage.

John served his country in the US Army from1954 to 1956 receiving an Honorable Discharge. He joined the New York City Fire Department in October 1959, was promoted to Lieutenant in May 1976 and retired in October 1980.

John and Diane moved to Florida in 1980. John spent his time fishing, scuba diving, gardening, changing remote batteries, cleaning gutters, changing the Wi-Fi password and traveling. They were long time and active parishioners at St Lucie Catholic Church in Port St Lucie, Florida.

The funeral will be held at St Mark’s Catholic Church, 643 N.E. 4th Avenue, Boynton Beach, FL, on December 9,2024 at 10:30 am on Monday December 9. Internmentfollow at South Florida National Cemetery, 6501 S. State Road 7, Lake Worth, FL 33449, at 12:30 pm.

Areception will be held at Dorsey-E. Earl Smith Memory Gardens, 3041 Kirk Road, Lake Worth, FL 33461, following the internment. All friends and family are welcome. The family asks that donations to Tunnel 2 Towers (www.t2t.org ) be made instead of flowers or other gifts.