Joseph Murry "Joe" Clark Sr, 86, of Asheville, died Saturday, February 18, 2012 at the St. Joseph Campus of Mission Hospitals.

A native of Buncombe County, he was a son of the late Lee Greeley Clark and Sarah Rickman Clark. He was also preceded in death by one brother, Lewis M. Clark.

Joe began Vance School in September of 1932 and graduated from Lee Edwards High (now Asheville High) School in May of 1943 in a 408-member graduating class. He was elected President of the Student Body in 1942 for the 1942-43 school year, beginning a lifelong relationship with friends in his class.

Within three months of graduation, his father died at age 40 and Joe entered the military. After basic training and promotion to sergeant, Joe entered Armored O.C.S. at Fort Knox, KY, graduating and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant at age 19 and served in the S. Pacific with the 7th Regiment 1st Calvary Division. Leaving active military service in 1946, he remained in the Army Reserve for a number of years, becoming a Captain and Headquarters Company Commander of the 2nd Battalion, 518th Regiment, 108th Airborne Infantry Division.

Upon return from active service, he met the love of his life, Zunita H. Wakefield, a 1946 graduate of Flora MacDonald College and the Minister of Music and Director of Christian Education at his home church, West Asheville Presbyterian.

Joe completed the Graduate School of Consumer Banking at the University of Virginia. He joined Wachovia Banks retail lending department in 1952, was promoted to assistant manager of the department on July 1, 1955 and elected as an Assistant Vice-President of the bank in April of 1958. He served as President of the Asheville Chapter of the American Institute of Banking and Treasurer of Asheville's United Fund from 1960-1962. He was Treasurer of the Kiwanis Club of West Asheville for several years.

He was transferred to Charlotte by Wachovia in December of 1962 and promoted to Vice-President and Manager of Wachovia's Time Payment Department (the bank's largest such department) in January of 1963. He was active in the Chamber of Commerce, United Fund and served as Chairman of the Consumer Banking Division of the NC Banker's Association in 1966-67. He was one of the organizers of Charlotte's Consumer Credit Counseling Service, the first such organization of this nature in the Carolinas.

Joe was named Regional Manager of the Sales Finance Department of Wachovia's Southern Region in 1972. He retired from Wachovia on October 31, 1980 and became Executive Director of the Greater Charlotte Auto Dealers Association for 10 years.

Always active in the church, Joe served the West Asheville Presbyterian Church as Chairman of the Diaconate, Elder, a church school teacher, and a commissioner to the Asheville Presbytery. In Charlotte, as a member of the Sardis Presbyterian Church, he served as an Elder and church school teacher and was active in the Charlotte Presbytery. Joe and Zunita have served on the Board of Visitors at Montreat College with Joe serving one term as Chairperson.

In 1996, after 34 years in Charlotte, Joe returned to his beloved mountains and became a member of New Hope Presbyterian Church. His hobbies included tennis, yard work, wood working, and keeping up with old friends in the WWII year classes of Lee Edwards High School.

Joe is survived by his wife of 63 years, Zunita Wakefield Clark; one daughter, Susan Fullerton and her husband, Wayne, of Atlanta, GA; one son, Joseph Murry "Joe" Clark Jr. and his wife, Terri, of Atlanta, GA; one sister, Mary C. Lucas of Asheville; four grandchildren, Ben Sprinkle, Kent Sprinkle, Joseph M. "Trey" Clark, III and Taylor Clark; three great-granddaughters, Hannah, Ella and Claire Sprinkle as well as several nieces and nephews.