Charles D. \'Bud\' Clarke
Born In: Middle Cape, Nova Scotia, Canada
Born: January 13th, 1925
Passed in: Armed Forces Americas, United States
Passed on: December 16th, 2009
Mr. Charles D. ‘Bud’ Clarke, of Ashby, Mass., formerly of Waltham, Mass., died Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009, at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, Fla. He was 84.
Bud was born in Middle River, C.B., Jan. 13, 1925, a son of the late Daniel A. and Catherine (MacRae) Clarke.
After finishing high school Bud earned his captain’s papers to navigate inland waters in and around Cape Breton and became a ferry boat captain at an early age. He and his wife, Dolly K. ‘Kaye’ (Budge) Clarke, a one-room schoolhouse teacher, were married Aug. 19, 1950, in St. Andrew’s Church, Neils Harbour. Bud and Kaye settled in New Campbellton, after having lived a short time in Cape Dauphin.
Bud is going to be remembered most for having spent more than 59 happy years with Kaye. They worked hard together and enjoyed life together . . . simple life shared by family, friends, card games and board games. Bud was known as the family Scrabble champion. Bud’s work as a ferry boat captain in Cape Breton came to an end when the government built the Route 105 causeway bridge connecting the islands separated by the inland waters. In 1961 Bud and Kaye moved the family to Waltham where he became a truck driver for Lopez Trucking of Waltham where he worked until his retirement 22 years ago. After that, the couple spent many memorable and enjoyable summers at their cottage in Ashby and winters in Melbourne, along Florida’s warm east coast.
In addition to his wife, Bud leaves his children, Alfred J. ‘A.J.’ Clarke and his wife, Sandy, James G. Clarke and his wife, Kathy, Debra J. Auld and her husband, James, and Charles D. ‘Boxer’ Clarke and his wife, Judi, all of Waltham; his grandchildren, Jimmy, Danielle, Jill, Cassie, Kara and Travis Clarke, Laura, Elizabeth, Patricia, Abby and Julie Auld and Meghan Martin and her husband, Chris; his great-grandchildren, Isobel, Margaret, Emma and Lilly; his sister, Margaret MacLean of Cape Dauphin; and many nieces and nephews.
Bud’s only brother, Flight Lieutenant Alfred J. Clarke, RCAF, died during the Second World War.
Family and friends will honor and remember Bud’s life by gathering for calling hours on Sunday from 3-7 p.m. in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main St. (Rte. 20), Waltham, and again at 10 a.m. Monday morning in Newton Presbyterian Church, 75 Vernon St., Newton where his funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Mount Feake Cemetery, Waltham.
To offer condolences online please visit www.joycefuneralhome.com.
