RODERICK "Rod" CLARKE

CLARKE RODERICK WILLIAM CLARKE (Age 92) Of Arlington, VA died on February 8, 2O17. Rod was born October 7, 1924, in Rochester, NY, to Charles M. Clarke and Dorothy (nee Buzzell). Rod was a decorated aviator in WWII and the Korean War twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. He graduated from Purdue University in 1949 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. While attending Purdue, he met and married Marian Lucille Snyder. They were married 69 years. Marian died on October 12, 2016. Rod was called back into the US Air Force in 1950 and decided to make it his career of 30 years rising to the rank of colonel. He twice represented the United States at to the International Astronautical Congress held in Amsterdam in 1958 and Stockholm in 1960. He earned a Masters in Industrial Management from the Air Force Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in Operations Research from Stanford University. Between 1962 and 1973, Rod's career was in the new field of Operations Research and Management Science with duty stations at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, where he was awarded the Bronze Star, and the Pentagon, in Washington, DC. In 1967 and 1968, Rod was the Air Force representative to the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He was awarded the of Legion of Merit upon his retirement in 1973. From 1973 on, his career and life were full of new interests and adventures. He continued in operations research as a consultant while helping to start a minor-league baseball team, the Alexandria Dukes. He pursued his interest and love of traditional Jazz culminating as chief curator of the Museum of Traditional Jazz in 1976 with its exhibits on display for two years in the main public library in Washington, DC. Rod was devoted to searching his family's roots in Canada and Scotland leading to his participation in the Clan Macpherson Society where he served as the Chairman of the United States Branch in 1987 and 1988 and was an Honorary Vice President of the International Association. In 2016 he was awarded a life-time achievement award by the American Branch. He started and operated a Scottish and Irish book business for over 20 years which included editing a quarterly journal on Scottish authors. Along with his wife Marian, he was an American Red Cross volunteer and served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Alexandria, Virginia chapter for six years. Additionally, he was a disaster computer operations officer for eleven national disaster relief operations that involved deploying to the disaster site. Rod was pre-deceased by his parents and brother, Donald Clarke and his wife Marian (nee Snyder) Clarke. He is survived by his sons, Peter and Andrew (and his wife Gail); daughter, Barbara (and her husband J. Douglass Leslie); grandchildren, Devin Clarke, Kiersten Clarke and Sam Leslie; and brother, David Clarke. The family will receive friends on Friday, February 17 from 10 to 11 a.m., at Everly Wheatley Funeral Home, 1500 West Braddock Road, Alexandria, VA, where a Life Celebration Service will begin at 11 a.m., and a reception to follow at 12 noon. Graveside services with Full Military Honors at Arlington National Cemetery will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Rod's memory can be made to the American Red Cross (www.redcross.org). Please view and sign the family guestbook at: www.everlywheatley.comwww.everlywheatley.com