Gary Doane Clarke

Gary D. Clarke was born May 26, 1941 in Long Beach, California to Vance and Dorothy Clarke. During his childhood in Long Beach, his passions for “cool cars” and swimming emerged – the latter earning him Junior College All-American swimming honors and a swimming scholarship to the University of Utah, where he met and married his beloved wife Gail Hawthorne in 1962. Gary served his country as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy from 1963 – 1969, during which his two sons Michael and David were born. Upon completion of his Navy service, the family located to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Gary led sonobuoy and ignition system operations for Magnavox and instilled life-long passions for golf and fishing in his two sons. Upon closing his Magnavox career, Gary and Gail relocated to Mobile, Alabama in 1993 where they founded their Bath and Kitchen Concepts business and fell in love with their “forever city” in Mobile. After his beloved Gail’s passing in 2011, Gary met his beautiful life partner, Jeanne Abbott, and led the Mobile Senior Golf Association – each bringing so much joy to Gary in his final years.

Gary is survived by his sons, Michael Clarke and David Clarke; daughter-in-law, Brigitte Clarke; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Kim and Gary Hawthorne; his six grandchildren: Brandon Clarke, Amber Clarke, Andrew Clarke, Jamie Clarke, Jason Clarke, and Becca DeSouza; his life partner, Jeanne Abbott and their Yorkipoo furry love, Drew “Drewsky”

A celebration of life service will be held on Friday, November 25, 2022 from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Pine Crest Funeral Home on Dauphin Island Parkway in Mobile, Alabama.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donation be made to the Mobile County Animal Shelter in Gary’s name.