Bill Newell Clark

Bill Newell Clark of Mars Hill, with his family by his side, made his flight from hospice care in Asheville to his heavenly Father on Friday, May 15, 2026. Bill was a wonderful Christian man, loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Bill was married to the love of his life, Beatrice Burrell Clark for 67 years. They were married in the chapel of First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, NC on December 20, 1958.

Bill was born December 24, 1934 in Haywood County, NC to Homer Clark and Wilma Justice. His youth was spent in the Meadow Fork community of Madison County, where he lived with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Alcana Justice, after his mother remarried. He attended school in the two-room school at Meadow Fork through the fifth grade. Throughout his life, Bill revisited his beloved Meadow Fork, and took family and friends there many times.

Bill graduated from Sand Hill High School, attended Asheville-Biltmore Junior College (now UNC-Asheville), and graduated from Western Carolina College (now Western Carolina University) with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. He was also a graduate of the School of Savings & Loan at Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Upon graduation from high school, Bill worked at the Asheville-Biltmore Hotel, which was located at the corner of Woodfin and North Market Street, two blocks north of Asheville’s Pack Square. He was hired to become a member of the two person daytime desk-clerk staff. The owner, Mr. Bill Pratt, sent him to Mississippi State College during the summer of 1954, for a short-term course in Hotel Administration. Bill worked at the hotel from his high school graduation through his graduation from college.

Bill’s entire work career, following graduation from Western Carolina in 1958, was in the world of banking. He survived two mergers, and finished his banking career in 1999, with 41 years in the business. He began his career at Asheville Federal Savings. He then became executive vice president and member of the board of directors at Carolina Federal Savings & Loan. On July 1, 1981, Carolina Federal merged with First Federal of Hendersonville where he became Senior Vice President and System Loan Manager. On July 1, 1991, First Federal of Hendersonville merged with First Citizens Bank.

Between the years of his joining First Citizens in 1991, until his retirement in 1999, Bill enjoyed arranging financing for many area churches. To name a few: First Baptist Church of Asheville, for the purchase of the #1 Oak Plaza Office Building, Beverly Hills Baptist to construct a new sanctuary, Groce United Methodist Church to construct a new family ministries building, Arden Presbyterian Church to construct a new sanctuary, Arden First Baptist to construct educational building, Swannanoa First Baptist to construct a new sanctuary, Trinity Baptist Church (Fairview) to construct a new sanctuary. He became known as “Mr. Church Lender.” Bill retired as Senior Vice President of Commercial Lending at First Citizens.

Bill belonged to many organizations. To name a few: Hendersonville Lions Club (VP), Homebuilders Association of Western North Carolina, Asheville board of Realtors (associate member), American Business Club (President, Lifetime member), American S&L Institute (member and instructor), Asheville Jaycees (Treasurer). His many volunteer activities included : member of the Board of Directors of Community Action Opportunities, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Asheville, Community Action of Madison & Buncombe Counties (treasurer), Madison County Planning Board (Chairman, 12 years), Buncombe-Madison Water Board, Mentor at Aycock Elementary School, Youth baseball (Buncombe and Madison Counties), Asheville Belle Cher Parade chair, Boy Scouts of America, Asheville Christian Academy (14 years), Treasurer of Western North Carolina Baptist Fellowship Coordinating Council (12 years) and Treasurer of Slavic Resource Center.

As a member of First Baptist Church, Asheville for 50 years, Bill was involved in many activities. Some of these were: Deacon, Finance Committee, Policy Review Committee, Member of Fellowship Sunday School Class (Treasurer), nine summer mission trips to the Village of Hope (Ukraine) with Bea and other members of FBCA.

Bill was always helping anyone that he saw in need, no matter what the situation. His favorite was his bicycle ministry. Following his retirement, he repaired and gifted over fifteen hundred bicycles, beginning early on with the Optimist Club’s Santa Pal Christmas program, Goodwill and the Salvation Army thrift stores. His source for bicycles was primarily from the refuse collection center near Mars Hill, where Madison County residents take their discarded items for disposal or to be recycled. Many friends and neighbors, as well as other people who heard of his ministry, donated used bicycles. Bill would recondition the bicycles, often replacing tires, wheels, brakes, handlebars, etc…making them “as good as new”. With the help of Fran Graham and her husband Mike, friends at First Baptist, Bill began his donating mission to the children in Ledgewood Village in East Asheville, where many Slavic families were living, and to the children at North Point Commons, and other communities of public housing. Then for several years, until he could no longer continue, Bill did his bicycle ministry for hundreds of children in Madison County, where he had lived for the last 51 years, and for Mars Hill Baptist Church for their mission trips and Operation Santa ministry.

Along with helping others, Bill had many hobbies. He was a Volkswagen enthusiast, and acquired and repaired VW’s, making sure that both his sons, Chuck and Tim, each had one. He entered and usually won first place in VW shows in North Carolina and other states. Bill and his then young sons roamed the newly plowed fields of Buncombe and Madison counties collecting Indian arrowheads and other artifacts. He was asked to share a display of their finds at the Welcome Center on I-26 into Tennessee. He was an avid collector of clocks and enjoyed repairing and making them keep perfect time. Following retirement, he became interested in woodworking and produced many beautiful bowls, candlesticks, small side tables, and other items which he gave to family and friends. Bill loved working in his shop.

He and Bea also loved to travel. Bill always teased Bea that she kept her suitcase by the front door. They were fortunate to have been able to travel to some 35 countries, some several times, as well as 48 states. They also enjoyed hosting exchange students from France and visiting with their families. They had many return visits from their students.

Best of all, Bill was a dedicated Christian who loved his family. He leaves behind a family who dearly loved him, his beloved wife of 67 years, Frances Beatrice Burrell Clark; his two sons, Charles Justice (Chuck) Clark (Latisha), Timothy Neal (Tim) Clark (Kathy); his grandchildren, Jessica Clark Johnson (Chris), Rebecca Clark Ross (Daniel), Bailey Clark (Allie), and Tyler Clark; and his great-grandchildren, Bethany Ross, Maxwell Ross, Aksel Johnson, Zena Clark and Ivy Clark, sisters Janice Singleton and Linda Manis (David), and brothers Lance Wait and Jerry Clark.

Bill’s memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church Asheville on Saturday, June 6, at 2:00pm. The family will receive friends immediately following the service in the church dining hall.

Please direct any memorial gifts to: Mars Hill Baptist Church (Operation Santa), P.O. Box 218, Mars Hill, NC 28754. Memorial gifts can also be made online at www.marshillbc.org.

Groce Funeral Home on Patton Avenue is assisting the family.