Sarah Clarke

Charlotte, Sarah Clarke, age 85, passed away peacefully on March 3, 2017 in Charlotte. Sarah was born in Lake City, South Carolina in 1931 Sarah grew up on a tobacco farm. After she graduated from Lake City High School she graduated from Columbia Commercial College and moved to Charleston where she met her husband James Malcolm Clarke. The pair were married in 1957 and after living in Suffolk, Virginia, Orlando, Florida and St Petersburg, Florida they moved to Malcolm's birthplace, Haywood County, in 1960. After owning a dry cleaners in Canton for a year the couple purchased Shadowlawn Motel in Maggie Valley, changing the name to the Clarketon Motel, which it is still called today. Later they opened the Clarketon Super Kartway, also in Maggie Valley. Malcolm passed away in 1983 and Sarah retired in 1995. She lived in Maggie Valley and Clyde until December 2015 when she moved to Charlotte to be closer to her children. She is preceded in death by her parents Daisy Ileta Matthews McCutchen and Lonnie Elwood McCutchen; a brother, Lonnie Wayne McCutchen and two sisters-in-law Vivian Clark Coulby and Callie Clark Holland. Sarah is survived by three children; James Malcolm Clarke, Jr of Cary, North Carolina; Carey Clarke of Indian Trail, North Carolina and Sherri Clarke of Charlotte; a sister, Elsie McCutchen White of Laceys Springs, Alabama; a brother Hubert McCutchen of Darlington, South Carolina; sisters-in-law Shirley McCutchen of Hartsville, South Carolina and Francis McCutchen of Darlington, South Carolina , daughter-in-law Tess Clarke of Indian Trail, four grandsons and two granddaughters – Austin, Brandon, and Caitlin Clarke of Cary and Calvin, Carter and Katie Clarke of Indian Trail. She is survived by four nieces, Marla McCutchen Prozzi, Donna White Chunn, Debbie McCutchen Mitterholzer and Wendy McCutchen Gallagher; and a nephew Mac McCutchen. Sarah was a past president of the Med West – Haywood Hospital Auxiliary where she volunteered over 17, 000 hours spanning 29 years. Most of those hours were spent volunteering in the hospital gift shop. She was an avid ACC basketball fan, following the alma maters of her children, Wake Forest and UNC-Chapel Hill. Sarah loved to spend time with her friends, especially Janet Brandon, who was like a sister to her. She was a member of Hazelwood Baptist Church for over 50 years and a loyal member of the Rachel Sunday School class. When she moved to Charlotte she attended Christ Covenant Church in Matthews. At age 75 she joined her first gym and worked out regularly for nine years until her cancer diagnosis. A celebration of Sarah's life will be on Saturday, March 11, 2017 at Hazelwood Baptist Church in Waynesville. The family will receive friends from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM with the service starting at 1:00 PM. Memorials may be made to Hazelwood Baptist Church, 265 Hazelwood Avenue, Waynesville, NC 28786.

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