Wallace Huey Clark

Wallace Huey Clark, a great man, loved by everyone he met, passed out of this life December 24th and into Heaven with Jesus. No more suffering and with his complete memory back. Wallace is survived by his daughter Linda Clark and grandaughter Michelle Welch; son, Glenn Clark (Laura), granddaughters Stephanie Timmerman (Randy), Candace Hanneman (John-Scott) and grandson Andrew Wallace Clark; sister-in-law Clara Motley (Howard) and family. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Motley Clark, mother Minnie Lee Miller and father Lafayette Clark. Wallace was born in Alexandria LA in February 1930 and lived in Echo LA, San Diego and northern California, Charleston SC and Jacksonville FL. Wally joined the navy in 1948 and while stationed in Norfolk met Helen Clark at Ocean View Beach in 1950 and were married in 1951. After marriage, they lived in Highland Park and eventually moved to Chamberlayne Farms with Glenn and Linda. While volunteering for Henrico Volunteer Rescue Squad, Wally worked for VEPCO for 20 years. In 1969, he started as a lab tech and went on to become a photographer for Richmond Times Dispatch and News Leader where he retired in 1992. After retirement, he became editor of the CVE Piper, a publication of the Escort Carrier Sailors and Airmen Association and also did a lot of photography for the Latin Ballet of Virginia where his granddaughter danced frequently. He was even in the cast of one production. He never met a stranger and will be remembered for always having a smile and a camera, or video camera in his hand. Always ready with a funny quip or just the right thing to say to make you at ease or to laugh, but a good judge of character and always strong and confident in his beliefs. His true love was spending time with his wife and two kids and vacationing each summer in Myrtle Beach. He photographed many celebrities that visited Richmond and annually photographed the winter Special Olympics at Wintergreen. Wally became a member of the Masonic Lodge in 1964 and joined the Shriners in 1965 and Provost Guard in 1984. He was a member of Hatcher Memorial Baptist Church. Some of Wally’s fellows at RTD said the following about Wally: “He was kind of like the Yogi Berra of the photo department. He said things like ‘answer that, it might be the phone’ or ‘we went to two different schools together’. He enjoyed life and was a good friend to all of us.” “Huey’s first words to me were, ‘Remember? You took the train but I brought my lunch.” “Wally was an able man and about as nice a person who ever worked at 333. He had the gift of kindness.” In his last years he was cared for by Mark Hodges who was an angel sent from Helen in heaven to watch over him. Mark not only cared for him in a home setting, but also took him on trips to Louisiana to visit Wally’s family, and to other places along the east coast. They went out to breakfast each day with a gang of friends, as well as dinner with friends. He kept dad’s mind active and alert, as he was not just sitting in a home all day and night. It was truly a blessing for dad to be able to live his last years in such a wonderful, loving environment. Someone recently said about Mark after Wally’s death “The care you gave to Wally over the years was amazing, as were your patience and kindness. I see the wide range of caring among the caregivers at my sister's nursing home, and I've never met anyone more dedicated than you to your charge. Wally was lucky to have a friend like you in his court”. The family will receive friends from 1-4pm on Sunday, December 29 at Woody Funeral Home - Atlee Chapel, 9271 Shady Grove Rd., Mechanicsville Va 23116. A funeral service will be held at noon on Tuesday, December 31, at the Atlee Chapel. Interment will follow at Signal Hill Memorial Park, 12360 Hanover Courthouse Rd., Hanover Va 23069. Donations in Wally's memory may be made to Lewy Body Dementia Association at https://www.lbda.org/donate.