Obituary for William Joseph Clarkson
William Joseph (Bill) Clarkson, age 77, passed away at his home in Manassas, Virginia on August 15th, 2019.
Bill was born in Boyle County, Kentucky on October 10, 1941 to William Edward and Bertie Rae (Holt) Clarkson. He and his sister Judy grew up on the family farm in Gravel Switch, Kentucky. As a teenager, Bill and his best friend and cousin Jackie raced cars in the dry creek beds. He graduated from Forkland High School in Forkland, Kentucky. He joined the Air Force in 1960 and moved to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. There he met and married Betty Jean Tabor, the love of his life. Their married life took them to Dover, Delaware, back to Maryland, and finally to Manassas, Virginia where they have lived for the past 53 years. He drove a tractor trailer hauling steel for Atlas Machine and Iron Works. He worked for AT&T as an installer, then Lucent as an electrician and installer. He retired from Lucent but found many ways to keep busy. He worked for Battlefield Ford and really enjoyed being around the cars. He loved working on cars and trucks, caring for his lawn and garden, and watching the birds at the feeders and birdbaths in his yard. He was active in his local churches, first at Berean Baptist Church in Nokesville, Virginia, then at Old Dominion Baptist Church in Haymarket, Virginia, and finally at Evangel Baptist Church in Dale City, Virginia. He served in many capacities - usher, sound system tech, Sunday School teacher, and deacon. He loved the Lord, the Word, and the old Hymns of the faith. He loved his family, his precious wife Betty and their 4 children. God blessed him with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. One of his favorite activities was playing with the kids.
He is survived by his wife Betty Jean Clarkson of Manassas, Virginia, his daughter Deborah Vandiviere and her husband Mark, his son Don Banker and his wife Carol, his daughter Becky Lambert and her husband Greg, his daughter Jeanne Warner and her husband Scott. His 21 grandchildren are Rachel Vandiviere, Leslie Callahan and her husband Brian, Denise Anderson, Cassie Petersen and her husband Erick, Daniel Banker and his wife Michelle, Devin Banker and his wife Whitney, Caleb Lambert and his wife Isabel, Janette Roberts and her husband Nathan, Kristen Sumpter and her husband Jonathan, Nicole Lambert, Jacob Lambert, Kayla Warner, Joshua Warner, and Camryn Warner. His 16 great-grandchildren are Christopher, William, Michael, Emma, Caroline, Eleanor, Liam, Oliver, Louisa, Anna Kate, Ieuan, Charlie, Florence, Emerson, Elijah, and Rhett.
He is also survived by his sister Judy Bottom and her husband Marrison, with their children Lisa White and her husband Kenneth, and Rodney Bottom and his wife Rhonda. He had 6 great-nieces and nephews, and 2 great-great-nieces and nephews.
Grateful for a Blessed Life
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, August 21st, 2019 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Baker-Post Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 10001 Nokesville Road, Manassas, VA 20110. A funeral service will follow at 1:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel.
Interment will be in Stonewall Memory Gardens, 12004 Lee Highway, Manassas, VA 20109.
Bill was born in Boyle County, Kentucky on October 10, 1941 to William Edward and Bertie Rae (Holt) Clarkson. He and his sister Judy grew up on the family farm in Gravel Switch, Kentucky. As a teenager, Bill and his best friend and cousin Jackie raced cars in the dry creek beds. He graduated from Forkland High School in Forkland, Kentucky. He joined the Air Force in 1960 and moved to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. There he met and married Betty Jean Tabor, the love of his life. Their married life took them to Dover, Delaware, back to Maryland, and finally to Manassas, Virginia where they have lived for the past 53 years. He drove a tractor trailer hauling steel for Atlas Machine and Iron Works. He worked for AT&T as an installer, then Lucent as an electrician and installer. He retired from Lucent but found many ways to keep busy. He worked for Battlefield Ford and really enjoyed being around the cars. He loved working on cars and trucks, caring for his lawn and garden, and watching the birds at the feeders and birdbaths in his yard. He was active in his local churches, first at Berean Baptist Church in Nokesville, Virginia, then at Old Dominion Baptist Church in Haymarket, Virginia, and finally at Evangel Baptist Church in Dale City, Virginia. He served in many capacities - usher, sound system tech, Sunday School teacher, and deacon. He loved the Lord, the Word, and the old Hymns of the faith. He loved his family, his precious wife Betty and their 4 children. God blessed him with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. One of his favorite activities was playing with the kids.
He is survived by his wife Betty Jean Clarkson of Manassas, Virginia, his daughter Deborah Vandiviere and her husband Mark, his son Don Banker and his wife Carol, his daughter Becky Lambert and her husband Greg, his daughter Jeanne Warner and her husband Scott. His 21 grandchildren are Rachel Vandiviere, Leslie Callahan and her husband Brian, Denise Anderson, Cassie Petersen and her husband Erick, Daniel Banker and his wife Michelle, Devin Banker and his wife Whitney, Caleb Lambert and his wife Isabel, Janette Roberts and her husband Nathan, Kristen Sumpter and her husband Jonathan, Nicole Lambert, Jacob Lambert, Kayla Warner, Joshua Warner, and Camryn Warner. His 16 great-grandchildren are Christopher, William, Michael, Emma, Caroline, Eleanor, Liam, Oliver, Louisa, Anna Kate, Ieuan, Charlie, Florence, Emerson, Elijah, and Rhett.
He is also survived by his sister Judy Bottom and her husband Marrison, with their children Lisa White and her husband Kenneth, and Rodney Bottom and his wife Rhonda. He had 6 great-nieces and nephews, and 2 great-great-nieces and nephews.
Grateful for a Blessed Life
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, August 21st, 2019 from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Baker-Post Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 10001 Nokesville Road, Manassas, VA 20110. A funeral service will follow at 1:00 p.m. in the funeral home chapel.
Interment will be in Stonewall Memory Gardens, 12004 Lee Highway, Manassas, VA 20109.