Clark Delano Readling's Obituary
Clark Delano Readling, age 82, of Cornelius, died peacefully on April 25, 2020 in Charlotte after a bout with pancreatic cancer.
A lifelong resident of Cornelius, NC, Clark was born on August 12, 1937 to Madison Iwan “Skinner” Readling and Sarah Evelyn Thornburg Readling. He graduated from North Mecklenburg High School in 1955, married his high school sweetheart Carolyn Sue Howard in 1957, and graduated from NC State with a B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1960. That same year he went to work for the City of Charlotte where he worked in positions of increasing responsibility for 38 years.
During his years as a professional engineer with the City of Charlotte he helped build the infrastructure that supported the transformation of a sleepy Southern city into a powerhouse banking and commerce center of the New South. In 1970, at the age of 33 he was promoted to City Engineer, managing the City’s engineering department. As City Engineer, Clark oversaw the construction of many public projects including roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructure, managing a department that expanded to 400 people. As documented in the Charlotte Observer upon his retirement in 1998, during his career he managed hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of road construction projects as the City grew from 200,000 to more than 500,000 people. He oversaw the construction of major public facilities including the Charlotte Mecklenburg Government Center, the Tyvola Road Coliseum, and the Convention Center, which was built by a team of 75 contractors and at the time of its completion in 1995 was the largest single project the City had ever built.
He was an active member of the American Public Works Association (APWA), a professional association of public works agencies and officials dedicated to promoting professional excellence and was president of the North Carolina Chapter in 1981. In 1998 he was named one of APWA’s “Top 10 Public Works Leaders” - a national honor.
As a younger man, Clark’s most important hobbies were hunting and fishing, and he loved Saturday quail hunting with his father-in-law Clayton Howard. Clark told many stories of their all-day quail hunts walking along the South Prong of the Rocky River near Davidson Elementary School, many years before the area became so developed. He also loved to deer hunt with his nephew Barry. But, as much as he loved hunting, fishing, and being outdoors, his most important lifelong hobby was as a builder. He really was a modern-day renaissance man. As an engineer he was a very skilled designer, but he was also a great carpenter and built or helped build a number of homes and other structures including his own vacation homes, one on Mountain Island Lake and one in the North Carolina mountains near Bat Cave. Many of his building projects were in partnership with his older brother Jimmy, as well as with other family members and Clark’s three sons. He was great with a chain saw and was quick to help a neighbor or friend clear a dead or fallen tree, particularly after Hurricane Hugo hit the area in 1989. He also ran a sawmill with his best friend and nephew Rodney Readling, and together they made the lumber used in most of the family’s building projects. Working with him was always fun because he told great stories and was an equally great listener. He had a twinkle in his eye and a quiet wisdom that just ran deeper as he aged.
He was generous with his time and his resources and paid attention to the people around him whether family or not, always helping out when needed. For a number of years, Clark volunteered with Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina as a truck driver, picking up food from grocery stores and delivering it to locations that would feed people in need. An avid cyclist, he cycled in numerous Bike MS events - long distance fundraising bike rides that raise money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He was a terrific father to his three sons and spent lots of time with them doing things they all enjoyed. He was dedicated to his entire extended family, creating opportunities for everyone to get together at the lake, in the mountains, at the beach, or anywhere else. Most get-togethers included at least one or two chores, and if you cut firewood, picked blackberries, cleaned fish, or sawed lumber with him you would likely struggle to keep up. Clark had incredible willpower and a strong work ethic his whole life.
Over the years he and Carolyn enjoyed many adventures as they traveled all across the US, sometimes with friends and sometimes just the two of them. More recently they spent nearly half their time at their beloved mountain home where they enjoyed being together, and where the fresh air and sweeping views made both of their spirits soar. The mountain land was a great place for Clark to put his chain saws and tractor to good use cutting firewood, grading the roads, building fences, and doing other chores.
Clark was preceded in death by his parents, siblings Ronald and James “Jimmy”, and his granddaughter Jessica. He is survived by his loving wife Carolyn, his sons Keith (Anna), Joe (Martha), and Greg Readling, his granddaughters Hannah Readling and Rain Readling, and a large extended family he loved very much.
A memorial service will be held at a later date. If you would like to be notified when a memorial service has been scheduled, please email [email protected] and you will receive memorial details via email once they are known. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the American Red Cross Greater Carolinas Region.
James Funeral Home of Huntersville is serving the family.
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