Albert Dale Clark, Jr.

Albert 'Dale' Clark, Jr of Elberton, died August 27, 2025. He was born July 3, 1935, at 9:30 pm in the back bedroom of his grandmother’s home at Silver Run in Donahue, WV. His father was in the gunite construction business which caused him to attend school across multiple states including Louisiana, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Montana. Dale attended primary school in Cairo and Parkersburg, WV. He graduated from Cook County High School in Adel, GA, having missed being an honor graduate by 1/100th of a point due to his late start to the school year. His graduating class of 48, had three doctors, three dentists, and two pharmacists. Five of his classmates went on to serve in the military.

Dale volunteered for the draft in 1953 and attended basic training at Camp Gordon, GA. He attended field radio and microwave school in NJ and later installed microwave radio stations in Japan. After his return to the states via planes and trains through Chicago to Atlanta, he learned that his parents had moved to Akron, OH.

He worked with his father in gunite construction for several years before returning to Atlanta. One day at his job site, he met what he described as the most beautiful girl he had seen. They both attended Buckhead Baptist Church. A mutual friend formally introduced him to Lenora Hartford in April 1957. Their first date was over a cup of hot chocolate. He continued to take classes at Georgia Tech until he ran out of money. Shortly after, he was selected to attend Officer Candidate School.

After OCS, Dale proposed to Lenora on Halloween night 1958, over the telephone. They were married on Dec 31, 1958. Later, he was assigned to the Ft Campbell, KY jump school. He worked as jumpmaster and earned his master parachutist badge. He graduated the last two classes through the school before it was consolidated to Ft Benning, GA. After this, he taught soldiers how to load and unload airplanes and then became the Army advisor to Air Force units for the Cuba crisis.

Dale served as an artillery officer with the Army in Korea in 1963, Turkey in 1967, and Vietnam1968-69. It was on Labor Day weekend 1969 after returning from Vietnam that he moved his family to Elberton. There he served as the local liaison for the casualty notification team. He left active duty in June 1972 and subsequently joined the Army National Guard. He served for more than 38 years before retiring in 1992. He formally retired from the Army as a Major in July 1995.

In Elberton, Dale and Lenora were members of First Baptist Church. Dale served as a Deacon in the church for several years. He was also very involved with Camp Harmony through the years. He was an avid sportsman and coached Little League football and baseball, and loved to hunt and fish. Dale was also the voice of the Blue Devils as the public address announcer for more than 40 years.

Dale is survived by his wife, Lenora Hartford Clark; children and their spouses: Buddy and Tammy Clark, Jackie and Donnie Cobo, Chris and Michelle Clark, and George and Denise Clark; grandchildren and their spouses: Ryan and Katie Cobo, Courtney Clark, Justin and Jessica Cobo, Victoria and Sean Creo, Elizabeth Clark, Avery Clark and Aiden Clark; great-grandchildren: Remy Kate Cobo, Maxwell Cobo, and Oliver Cobo.

He was preceded in death by his father, A.D. Clark, Sr and Minnie Viola Clark of Atlanta, GA; sister, Patricia Carter; and daughter, Susan Louise Clark.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, September 2, at 11:00 am at Elberton First Baptist Church. Pastors Tim Adams and Steve Fenlon officiating. Interment services will be held immediately following at Forest Hills Memorial Park, Elberton with Ryan Cobo, Justin Cobo, Aiden Clark, Sean Creo, Jon Jenkins, and Virgil Seymour serving as pallbearers. Richey Eckler, Sam Padgett, Ed Shive, Bill Bennett, and Charlie Roberts will be serving as honorary pallbearers.

The family will receive friends prior to the service at 10:00 am.

Flowers are accepted and contributions may be made in his memory to St. Jude’s Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Those wishing may sign the online guestbook at berryfh.com.

Berry Funeral Home & Crematory of Elberton is respectfully in charge of arrangements for Mr. Albert 'Dale' Clark, Jr.