Mr. Ben Clark, of Athens, passed.

Celebration of Life service for Mr. Benjamin Clark will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2015 at 1:00PM at Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, 1931 Old West Broad Street, Athens, Georgia. Interment, Athens Memory Gardens.

Visitation for Mr. Benjamin Clark will be held Friday, January 9, 2015 from 12:00Noon - 7:00PM at Jackson-McWorter Funeral Home, 1253 West Broad Street, Athens, Georgia.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Grissom-Clark Funeral Home, 227 East Lake Dr., SE, Atlanta, GA 30317, 404-373-3191. www.grissom-clarkfh.com

On August 12, 1951, Benjamin Clark was born to the late Mr. James Lyles, Sr. and Mrs. Essie Bell Grooms Clark in Cuthbert (Randolph County), Georgia, he was one of twenty-four children.

On January 2, 2015 he made a peaceful transition from life to begin his heavenly rewards at Athens Regional Hospital in Athens, GA. Twelve of his siblings, Nellie Lyles Gilbert, James Lyles, Jr., Robert Lyles, Salatha Lyles, Herbert Lyles, Jacob Clark, Willie Brown Clark, Flossie Clark Parker, Dorothy Clark Hinds, John Arthur Clark, Dora Lyles Miller and Joseph Lyles preceded him in death. Benjamin was married to Gloria Marshall Clark for 42 years. They are the parents of two children, Latarious Monique Clark and Sharail Lavett Clark and three grandkids, Aubrey Aaliyah Peek, Deric Christopher Evans, and Inaya Peek.

Benjamin was a loving husband, father, and provider that will be sorely missed. He was committed to helping others and always went above and beyond to serve his community. His favorite past time was riding motorcycles and was a member of the “Black Knight Motorcycle Club” for over 30 years.

Benjamin was educated in the public schools of Randolph County in Cuthbert, Georgia. He graduated from Henderson High School. On September 29, 1972 he graduated from Albany Area Technical School in Electrical Construction. He then moved to Athens, Georgia where he started his own business called “Clark Electric” in which he managed and served the Athens area for 30 years.

He accepted Christ at an early age and joined New Salem C.M.E. Church. He then moved his membership to Mount Pleasant Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and sang in the male chorus.

Benjamin leaves to cherish his memory a loving wife of 42 years, Gloria M. Clark; two daughters, Latarious Monique Clark and Sharail Lavett Clark; three grandkids, Aubrey Aaliyah Peek, Deric Christopher Evans, and Inaya Peek all of Athens, GA; mother-in-law Katie Franklin, seven sisters, Bessie Clark of Patterson, NJ, Sarah (Otis) Starling, Thelma Lyles, Lillie “Sis” Lyles, all of Roselle, NJ, Annie ( Robert) Beckworth of Winter Garden, FL, Mary (Joseph) Brown of Patterson, NJ, Betty (Grady) Clark of Plainfield, NJ; four brothers, Willie (Daisy) Lyles, of Roselle, NJ, Isaac (Valeria) Clark, of Atlanta, GA, Homer (Karen) Clark, of Linden, NJ, Fady Clark, of Cuthbert, GA and a host of sisters-in-laws, brother-in-laws, nieces, nephews, loyal friends, and his Mount Pleasant church family.