CLARK KING

(veteran)

Former Blair resident Clark King, Ph.D. of Lexington, Va., died Sept. 27, 2002, in Charlottesville, Va.

A native of Nebraska and former U.S. Marine Corps officer, King graduated from Kearney State College in 1944, earned a master’s degree from Wyoming University in 1947, and a doctorate in education from the University of Virginia in 1970.

In 1942, he enlisted in a Marine V-12 Officer Procurement Program. In late December of 1944, as a member of the 27th Replacement Battalion, he left Hawaii for the invasion of Iwo Jima. He served until he was wounded in action and evacuated.

He came to Blair in the fall of 1946 after serving in the Marine Corps. He coached all sports at Blair High School until 1950, when he was recalled for duty in the Korean Conflict.

His military honors include a Silver Star, Purple Heart and the Presidential Unit Citation.

He joined the Virginia Military Institute in 1952, where he served as an assistant football coach through the 1963 season and then was named as head of the Department of Physical Education. He retired from VMI in June, 1991.

He is survived by his two daughters, Lisa King Stratienko of Lookout Mountain, Tenn., and Elizabeth King of Midlothian; a son, Clark King Jr. of Farmington, Conn.; sister, Barbara Marcy of Chadron; and five grandchildren.