Carl Wilson Clark, Jr. was born in the Sparta Community of Holcomb, Mississippi, on October 21, 1942 to Carl Wilson Clark and Martha Goodson Clark. He passed away on October 18 in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Carl attended Holcomb Elementary School, Benford High School, Warren Easton High School (NOLA) and graduated from Grenada High School. During his attendance at Warren Easton, he was fortunate to be sent to Tulane University for training for the deaf including lip reading and voice control.

After graduation he was employed by Bausch and Lomb Optical Laboratory and attended the Southern College of Optometry on their tuition program. As Dr. Clark, Optometrist, he opened Sears' first optical shop in Nashville, TN. For several years he continued opening optical shops for Sears throughout the Southeast.

Carl was multitalented, building his own poolside furniture from PVC pipe, upholstering automobiles and yachts, sewing awnings, pillows, and bandanas for his part-time shopping center business in Florida. His real passion, restoring cars, started when, as a teen, he built a 1940 Ford from parts. This passion continued throughout his life.

Carl was predeceased by his grandparents, Luther L. and Emma Mullen Clark and Roy S. and Mary Gattis Goodson; his father, Carl Wilson Clark; and his son and daughter-in-law, Thomas Anthony and Eva Clark. Survivors include his wife, Jay; his mother, Martha Goodson Clark of Hernando, MS; his sisters, Dallygene Reeves of Hernando and Mignon Clark Backstrom of Owensboro, KY; sons, Carl Wilson Clark, III (Pam) of Saucier, MS and Joel Clark of Florida; and grandchildren Anthony Wayne, Valerie, Steven and Chad.

Visitation will be at McKibben and Guinn Funeral Service at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 27. The funeral service will follow at 12:30. Burial will be at the Sparta Cemetery in Holcomb, MS.