Raymond Lewis Clarke

Raymond L. Clarke age 94 of Westbrook, MN died Saturday, April 2, 2011 at the Murray County Medical Center in Slayton, MN. Services will be 10:30 AM Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at the Immanuel Baptist Church in Westbrook. Visitation will be from 9:30 AM until time of service, at the church, on Tuesday. Interment will be in the Westbrook Cemetery. A luncheon will be served in the social hall of the church following the interment. The Almlie Funeral Home of Westbrook is handling the arrangements. Raymond Lewis Clarke was born on November 27, 1916 to Sumner and Millie (Bachman) Clarke in Des Moines River Township, Murray County, MN. Raymond received his grammar school education in Country School District #96 and then attended Westbrook High School, Graduating in 1934. Continuing his education, he attended the University of Minnesota, majoring in chemical engineering. Upon graduation he became a chemist at the Monte Waterproof Glue Company in Minneapolis, MN. When WWII broke out, Raymond decided to enlist in the U.S. Navy, in the Navy Pilot Training Program. Here he learned to fly a Piper Cub and a UPF-7 (an aerobatic plane). Next, he was assigned to the Naval Flight Training Center at Corpus Christi, TX and is was here that he was commissioned as an Ensign, receiving his Wings of Gold, and was designated a Naval Aviator. He was then transferred to Green Grove Springs, FL, where he was trained to fly combat aircraft. Here he was trained to do carrier landings and to fly his favorite plane, the F4U Corsair. His Navy service was from 1942 to 1946. In 1947, with the war having ended, Raymond enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he served until 1965. While in the Air Force he flew B-25’s, C-47’s, and T-33’s. His last assignment was Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where he was assigned to the Foreign Technology Division of Air Force Intelligence. It was during this time that he was promoted to Lt. Colonel. Raymond received a Master’s Degree in Nuclear Physics from Ohio State University. After retiring from the Air Force, he pursued a degree in education, which enabled him to teach high school math and science. He did that for several years in Dayton, OH. Upon retiring from teaching, he returned to Westbrook and the family farm. Raymond had an adventurous spirit. He traveled all over the world. He especially enjoyed his time in the service; he loved animals and had several favorite cats. He attended the Immanuel Baptist Church in Westbrook as a child. It was here that he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and on December 15, 1929, followed the Lord in baptism. He is lovingly remembered by his sister, Marian Ouverson Mulder of Slayton, MN; two brothers, Kenneth Clarke of Milford, IA and Donald (Betty) Clarke of Santa Rosa, CA; nine nieces; nineteen grand nieces and nephews, twenty six great grand nieces and nephews, and the Mitchell families. He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Lester, sister-in-law, Thelma Clarke, and two brothers-in-law, Allen Ouverson and Ralph Mulder.