-><!-- DisplayFullObituaryText -->James Edward "Ed" ClarkPawling - James Edward 'Ed' Clark, age 79 of West Main Street, Pawling, died Saturday January 4, 2014, at New Milford Hospital, New Milford, Connecticut.Ed graduated from Pawling High School in 1952 and later received an Associates Degree in Accounting from Orange County Community College in Middletown, New York.After joining the U.S. Navy in 1952, Ed served on the flight deck of the U.S.S. Bennington throughout the Mediterranean. Employed by the U.S. Postal Service for more than 40 years, Ed initially worked in the Pawling Post Office, eventually becoming supervisor. In the mid-70's, he opted to serve the entire Quaker Hill area as rural route letter carrier. Upon Ed's retirement in 2000, Postmaster Leo Dubowski said, "Ed was courteous, knowledgeable, and gracious&#8212;he was everything positive. He was exactly what every postmaster wants in a rural carrier; the customer always comes first. He will be missed."After retirement, Ed continued his lifelong love for hunting, even enjoying the wilds of Montana with his nephew Todd, and locally often drove through the Quaker Hill countryside sighting deer. Gardening, landscaping, and caring for his home property were always his pride and passion. Ed married Mary Elaine Palmer of Pawling on October 1, 1966. She predeceased him in August 2003. He is survived by daughter Bridget M. Clark of Pawling; son Matthew Clark of Alexandria, Virginia, and wife Gabriela; and their two sons, Luke and Jack, who recently enjoyed the Christmas holidays with Ed. He is also survived by a brother, Colonel Hugh Clark and wife Sheila of Ancramdale, and a sister, Nancy Tanner of Pawling; and several cousins, nieces and nephews.Horn & Thomes, Inc. Funeral Home, 83 East Main St., Pawling will offer visiting hours on Wednesday, January 8, from 4 - 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. John the Evangelist Church, Pawling, on Wednesday, January 9, at 10:00 a.m.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested for ;(function() { var adKeyValue = 't='; adKeyValue+= escape('clio=STJ'); adKeyValue += escape('&cobrand=poughkeepsiejournal'); adKeyValue += escape('&linktext=St. Jude Children\'s Research Hospital'); adKeyValue += escape('&linkurl=https://shop.stjude.org/GiftCatalog/donation.do?cID=13522&pID=18290&frequency_selected=2&memoryFirstName=James&memoryLastName=Clark&sc_cid=ptn1'); adKeyValue += escape('&fn=James'); adKeyValue += escape('&ln=Clark'); var adClkUrl = 'http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?iu=/423686928/prod/obit-aff/obit-standard/clio-inline-1&' + adKeyValue + '&sz=1x1&c=157367948'; var adImpUrl = 'http://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ad?iu=/423686928/prod/obit-aff/obit-standard/clio-inline-1&' + adKeyValue + '&sz=1x1&c=157367948'; document.write("<a href='" + adClkUrl + "' target=_blank>St. Jude Children\'s Research Hospital<" + 'img' + " src='" + adImpUrl + "' style='width=1px; height=1px; display:inline;' /></a>"); }());.Ed lived by and often quoted a dictum learned from his father: "If a job is once begun, never leave it till it's done: Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all."To leave an online condolence, please visit www.hornandthomesfuneralhome.com.