YARMOUTH — David Carter “Thur” Clarke, 90, died Saturday, Nov. 6.

Born and raised in Plainfield, N.J., he was the son of Roger Henry Clarke and Janet Carter Clarke.

After he graduated from the Gunnery School in Washington, Conn., in 1938, he attended Princeton University, where he developed his lifelong love of opera, and graduated with a degree in music in 1942.

During World War II he served in the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant. While stationed in St. Louis, he met his future wife, Julia Holland and proposed to her by telephone as he was being shipped out to the Philippines.

Upon his return, he began his banking career at the Chase Manhattan Bank in New York City. In 1967 he moved the family to Maine to work as a trust officer for Casco Bank.

Affectionately known as “Thur,” he had a lifelong passion for being outdoors — playing tennis, swimming, and mountain climbing. In recent years, he hiked Rattlesnake Mountain using two canes to assist him.

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His favorite pastime was spending time with his family and playing games, especially charades.

He was very involved in his church and community, including serving two terms on the Yarmouth Town Council and volunteering for the Yarmouth Historical Society and Mercy Hospital. He was also a longtime member of Portland Rotary Club, Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce and many church committees.

In 1997 he received the Yarmouth Latchstring Award in recognition of his service to the community. He was a member of the Portland Rotary Club for many years and was a volunteer at Mercy Hospital for 20 years.

He is predeceased by a son, Robert Clarke, and his siblings Samuel, Roger “Pete,” and Barbara Lowden.

Survivors include his beloved wife of 64 years, Julia; two daughters, Sally Clarke Hassey and her husband Michael of North Yarmouth, Nancy Clarke Brewer and her husband Russell of Darien, Conn., and their children, Chandler, Charlie and Chelsea; daughter-in-law Jane Clarke of Fort Myers, Fla., and son Christopher Clarke; and two sons, David Clarke, Jr. and his wife Vickie of Windham, and their daughters Crystal Clarke Kyles and her husband Damon Kyles and their son Benjamin, and Heather Clarke Novakouski and her husband Jeffery and children Jeremy and Alexis; Peter Clarke and his wife Mary of Garden City, N.Y., and their children Peter and Eliza.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at First Parish Congregational Church, 116 Main St., Yarmouth.

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Memorial donations may be made to HART, Homeless Animal Rescue Team, P.O. Box 351, 302 Range Road, Cumberland, ME 04021, or to the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation, in memory of his great-grandson Nathan: PKD Foundation, 8330 Ward Parkway, Suite 510, Kansas City, MO 64114-2000.

Arrangements are by Brackett Funeral Home, 29 Federal St., Brunswick.   

Condolences can be expressed at brackettfuneralhome.com.

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