Raymond B. Lark, 91, formerly of College Drive, died June 13, 2008, at Brookview Healthcare Center.

Mr. Lark had been a resident of Gaffney since 1939. He graduated from Spartanburg High School in 1934 and Wofford College in 1938.

He was commissioned

a second lieutenant

in the U.S. Army and served from 1942 to 1946, with one year's combat duty in Europe, where he rose to the rank of Major. After the war, he returned to Gaffney with his wife and daughter and managed the Community Cash Supermarket for 47 years.

He contributed to the community through a variety of civic and religious organizations, including Board of Trustees, Cherokee County Schools; chairman, Salvation Army; chairman, Red Cross; co-chair, United Way; president, Lion's Club; secretary /treasurer, Sesquicentennial Celebration; president, Chamber of Commerce; active member, Merchant's Association; chairman, Christmas Parade; member of first Meals on Wheels Committee (also, substitute driver); active member of Limestone Street United Methodist Church and later Buford Street United Methodist Church. He taught various Sunday School classes for 70 years. He was honored by Buford Street Methodist Church, when the class which he taught for many years chose to rename the class The Raymond Lark Sunday School Class. He maintained an interest in foreign missions and participated in work projects in Haiti and Zaire.

As a businessman, Mr. Lark gave many young people of the community their first jobs as "bag boys" and cashiers, and he counted among his greatest accomplishments the knowledge that he "taught a lot of young people how to work."

Mr. Lark was born in Cannon's Campground, where he was raised by John and Cora Lark, who were denied formal education but valued it for their children. The three "Lark boys" were among the first in their community to graduate from college and all paid their tuition with scholarships and employment in their father's small grocery business. He was predeceased by these brothers, Marvin Lark of Ohio and Hugh Lark of Spartanburg.

He was married to Dell Holland Lark for 35 years until her death in 1974. He was married to Charlotte Wolff Lark for the past 22 years.

Mr. Lark is survived by his wife, Charlotte, and his daughter, Brenda Lark Whisonant, and her husband, Robert, of Radford, Va., and their family Dell, Bobby, Kathryn and Nicholas, all of Northern Virginia.

In addition, he is survived by an extended family who shared his life for the past 22 years: Johnny Barrett of Lexington, N.C., and Leslie Barrett Hardy of Spartanburg. Other family members include Brent, Barrett, Claire and Briggs Hardy of Spartanburg, Rich and Jenny Benino of Winston Salem, N.C., and Bill and Tamara Grant of Harrisonburg, Va.

Raymond Lark loved Gaffney and felt an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude to the community that supported him throughout his life. He enjoyed his family, his garden, his yard, his woodworking, and being "Bop Bop" to Barrett, Claire, Briggs and Nicholas. He will be missed by many, and was remembered at a memorial service Sunday, June 15, at 2 p.m. at Blakely Funeral Home. Services were conducted by the Revs. Scott Wachter and Ron Singleton. Interment was in Frederick Memorial Gardens.

Visitation was held Saturday, June 14, from 6-8 p.m. at Blakely Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, contributions should be made to Mission Endowment Fund, Buford Street United Methodist Church, 120 E. Buford St.; or to Meals on Wheels, P.O. Box 1886, Gaffney, S.C. 29342.

The family is at the residence, 1007 College Drive.

An online guest register is available at www.blakelyfuneralhome. com.