Billy Joe Clark

Mr. Billy Joe Clark, 43, of Hicks Gap Rd., Blairsville, Ga., died Tuesday, June 26, 2007 at his home following an extended illness.

Mr. Clark was born Nov. 10, 1963 in Knoxville, Tenn., the son of the late Joseph Clark and the late Willie Sowards Clark. He was a lifelong resident of Union County, Ga., and Cherokee County, N.C. B.J. loved fishing, hiking, camping and the great outdoors. He enjoyed tinkering with cars and was a big NASCAR fan. Music was a big part of his life and in his younger years had played in a band. Mr. Clark was a member of Zebulon Baptist Church.

Surviving Mr. Clark is his wife, Dana Smith Clark of Blairsville; sons, Casey Shadix of Raleigh, N.C., Dustin and Cody Meeker of Blairsville; daughters, Diamond Clark of Blairsville, Autumn Clark of Hayesville, N.C., Journey Clark

of Andrews, N.C., Kacey Clark

of Lake City, Fla.; sisters and

brother-in-law, Micki and

Randall Pruitt of Lake

City, Fla., Vicki Croft of Jennings, Fla., Samantha

Whitner of Andrews,

N.C.; grandchildren,

Natalie, Kaden and Louie

Whitt; mother in law,

Donna Hammond of

Blairsville; many other relatives and friends also survive.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers if you wish, the family requests that memorials may be made to the Organ Transplant Unit of Piedmont Hospital of Atlanta in Mr. Clark's memory.

Mountain View Funeral Home of Blairsville in charge of the arrangements. You may sign the family guest book and send condolences on line at www.mountainviewfuneralhome. com.