Anthony Goodwin Clark was born on 28th January 1923 at Swaffham, Norfolk
His Mother – Florence Ada Nutt had married John Austin Clark, a farm bailiff in Northwold, Norfolk
He was the youngest of six.  His siblings -John (Jack) Haldenbury, Joan Brockelhurst, Robert Brockelhurst, Hugh Turton and Peter (died in infancy).
Tony always told the tale of having to guard his piece of cake at tea time, for fear of his older brothers stealing it!
In the first seven years of his life he moved around from
Ashill, Norfolk, Blindly Heath, Surrey, and to Poulshot, Wiltshire
Tony was taught by mother up to the age of 7, then he attended
Devizes Prep School, Devizes Secondary School, Beaumont Chase in Uppingham, then transferred to Oakham School as a day boy- where he excelled at cross country running.
Living at Edmonthorpe he was outside the catchment area so, during term time he lived at Ketton with his aunt Kate, travelling to school by train. He loved to spend time at weekends with his Aunt Mabel and Uncle Harry at Wescott, Wing. He spoke lovingly of such visits in his letters home to his parents from overseas postings.
Having passed his exams and taken his Certificate A with the Oakham Junior Training Corps, in 1940, aged 17, he signed up to join the elite band of Apprentices at RAF Halton, known as Trenchard’s BRATS. Tony was part of the 41st Entry.
He trained in hydraulic engineering
His first post was Cranwell
Any leave Tony had, he would spend with his sister Joan and her husband John and their growing family- Joanna, Jonny, Sally and Sue.
Then Tony was posted overseas
Christmas 1943 he sent Christmas greetings to his sister Joan from the Middle East as part of the 173 Squadron.
He was lent to the Fleet Air Arm and went to Capetown HMS Malagas.
He served in Port Suez and Heliopolis, Egypt
Although Tony would tell great tales of his time in the RAF, reading his letters home tell quite a different story.
On his return home to Binbrook, he bought a ticket out in February 1949, having borrowed the money from one of his brothers and giving the reason that his brother Hugh needed him desperately on the farm.
He met Muriel Thomas when she was bridesmaid and he was best man at Stan Thomas’ and Daphne Druce’s wedding. Tony and Stan had been at school together.
Tony married Muriel in Liverpool on 14th July 1951
They moved to Seaton, Rutland and Tony farmed for Gerald and Lilian Clarke.
Caroline and Pamela were born at Stamford Hospital in 1952 and 1954.
The family moved to Cold Hanworth, Lincolnshire, where Caroline started school. The next move was to Llanymanech, where Pamela began school life. Tony worked for Mr Bromley and was said to be the best cow hand he had ever employed. In 1958 a third daughter was born asleep to Muriel and Tony.
Due to Pamela’s asthma, the family moved to Cherrington, Gloucestershire. Tony worked for another Mr Clarke, as a farm labourer.
Staying in touch with his brothers, sister, nieces and nephew were important to Tony. Judith, Ann and Jenni would often refer to him as their favourite Clark. Tony and Muriel also enjoyed many a foreign trip with Muriel’s youngest sister, Joyce and her husband Tom.
Sundays would usually find Tony in a church somewhere, even when he was a youngster overseas. In the early 1970s, with support from Muriel and St Luke’s Gaddesby, Tony sought to join the church in a more formal role, but it wasn’t to be. His faith was important to him and he showed a great interest in developing worship and the upkeep of church fabric and grounds, wherever he lived.
When the girls were young, Sunday afternoon picnics would be a short drive, in the Morris 8, to a nearby field, through which a railway ran.  There the family would sit and eat and watch the steam trains pass by. Tony had enjoyed his boyhood clockwork train set and Pamela also took to the hobby. When she was 8 years old Tony bought her an electric Model Railway engine and enough track to form a circle on the dining room table. Years later that train set grew into a wonderful layout. Tony’s friend Peter would cycle, or walk from Manton to help with the garden, once the chores were finished you would find them both in the shed playing trains.
From Cherrington, the family was split up for a while, Tony lodged with his mother and aunt at Westcott, Wing and in 1961 gained a post with Beagle Auster Aircraft in Rearsby, Leicestershire.
Whilst a new home was being sought the family lived at Barrow upon Soar, then Barsby, until their new Jelson Home was completed at Gaddesby.
Tony worked at Beagle Aircraft until the company folded in 1969.
He then had various engineering posts in and around Leicester, and for a while in Brighton.
In 1977 Tony, Muriel and Pamela moved to Wing. By this time Tony and Muriel had become proud grandparents to James. They loved to have James come and stay at Westcott. As the family grew many a summer afternoon was enjoyed with the grandchildren playing in the garden.  Then in 1987? Tony and Muriel moved up the lane into Cedar Cottage.
In their retirement Tony and Muriel enjoyed their static caravan at Burnham Market in Norfolk and spent many happy hours with the family on the beautiful North Norfolk beaches.
Tony was fully involved in village life at Wing, being Church warden, Parish Councillor, Bell Ringing tower captain, to name but a few ‘hobbies’.
He supported Muriel in her love of singing and for many years Tony was part of the ‘crew’ at Rutland Musical Theatre.
Tuesday evenings would find Tony ringing a bell somewhere, having first been introduced to campanology in 1951 at Seaton.
After Muriel had been taken into care, Tony and Paul become pals and could often be found creating and building science teaching aids for Helen Pollard to use in schools around the country.
Monday evenings became Curry Night at Manton, followed by a trip to Melton Market on Tuesday mornings for a ‘Full English’ breakfast at the Co-op, Oakham’s Co-op having burned down!
From time to time Tony also enjoyed a hearty lunch at The Potting Shed, with various friends and relations. It saved him cooking! Though Tony’s homemade casseroles were delicious. Despite his failed eyesight he continued to prepare (not sure how much finger skin went in the pot) the meat and vegetables for his well-known casserole, right up until he was no longer strong enough to lift the pot from the oven, then his friends Richard and Helen would take the prepared dish and cook it for him at their home.
Up until his early 90s Tony could always be found on his allotment, where he continued his life long tradition of growing his own vegetables.
Although his learned trade was hydraulic engineering, his greatest love was working the soil, growing vegetables and creating beautiful gardens. He loved the challenge of trying to beat the “varmints”, as he called them, when they attacked his vegetables.
Having been a Latin scholar, Tony and his fellow lady gardeners, Jeffy and Carole, would test each other’s memories each spring – trying to recall the correct Latin name for the plants.
Tony’s association with the village of Wing has spanned so many decades, from that young school boy visiting family at Westcott to finally coming to live there.  He always took great delight in telling Sarah that he remembered her being pushed in her pram. His neighbour Jane has hardly known life in Wing without Tony. In recent years Tony was able to continue living in his own home with the much appreciated and needed help of so many, in particular Paul B, Jane, Jeffy, Helen E, Richard and Helen B. Carolyn and Paul.
Thank you to everyone who has helped and supported Tony, enabling him to be able to live such a varied, full and rewarding life of 99 years 5 months.
The Last Clark to be born and the Last Clark to fall.
May he rest in peace and rise in glory.