Willliam Coggeshall Clarke

Middletown, RI - William Coggeshall Clarke, 79, of Middletown, RI, died Saturday, September 18, 2010 at Warren Skilled Nursing Center, Warren, RIHe was the husband of the late Agnes Rita Brady Clarke. Born in Fall River, MA on September 5, 1931, he was the son of the late Anthony Allston Clarke and Kathryn Coggeshall Clarke North.William Coggeshall Clarke is a descendant of the founders of Newport and Rhode Island, and was proud to keep the history of his family alive. Mr. Clarke started his military training at a young age, as a member of the ROTC in high school. He then joined the US Marine Corps and served proudly during the Korean War. During his time in the Marines, he learned his skills as a machinist. This trade became his career and he advanced into machine sales, where he and his family lived in both Syracuse, NY and Branchburg, NJ, before retiring from Brown and Sharpe after 20 years in 1992. Throughout his life, William was an avid marksman, participating in many small bore rifle competitions and passing along the skills to his children and grandchildren. William was a communicant of St. Lucys Church. He is survived by two sons William Paul Clarke of Bay View, ID and Thomas Matthew Clarke of Stockton, NJ, and two daughters Kathleen Agnes Santos of Riverside, RI, and Rita Elizabeth Stinson of Middletown, RI, as well as a step Brother John Ney of St. Augustine, FL. He also leaves 12 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his son John Thomas Clarke.His funeral will be held on Friday, September 24, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:00am in St. Lucys Church, 909 West Main Road, Middletown. Burial with military honors will be in St. Columba Cemetery in Middletown.Calling hours are respectfully omitted. Donations in Williams name may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project WWP, 7020 AC Skinner Pkwy #100, Jacksonville, FL 32256 or to the John Clarke Society, 32 Green Street, Newport, RI 02840.