Clarence Allen Ashley III

Clarence Allen Ashley III (88) passed away on September 11, 2023. He is survived by his wife of fifty-nine years, Clara Sue Durden, his four sons (Chris, Park, Dennis, and Andrew), fourteen grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. He is also survived by his brother James and predeceased by his sister Faith.

Clarence was born to Julia Park Ashley and Clarence Allen Ashley, Jr. in Columbia, South Carolina, on August 26, 1935, amidst the Great Depression. With the outbreak of the Second World War, Clarence’s father served as an enlisted soldier in the US Army in the European theater. One of the most memorable days of his youth was V-J Day, which for him meant that his father was finally coming home from the war.

Clarence graduated from Columbia High School in 1953 and from the University of South Carolina (USC) in 1957 (Go Gamecocks!). A young Senator from Massachusetts named John F. Kennedy was his graduation speaker. Clarence earned a degree in mechanical engineering and received a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. The next day, he arrived in Los Angeles, California with a diploma, a commission, a letter for a job, and $30 in his pockets – sans lost suitcase, but off to get rich and famous.

Clarence began his career in the Rocketdyne division of North American Aviation. There, he worked on the development of the Atlas booster rocket motor – the engine that was first to place an American (John Glenn) in orbit around the earth. He then began his service with the US Air Force as a guided missile maintenance officer. At Vandenberg AFB, he helped to prepare the first launch of a strategic missile in the free world by an operational military unit. The Thor missile later became the workhorse for launching satellites around the world. He was in the first group to be awarded the newly issued Air Force Guided Missile Badge, the counterpart to pilot’s wings.

In March of 1960, he drove his convertible MG across the country and returned home to South Carolina to complete his master’s degree in mechanical engineering at USC and began work with General Electric (GE). There, he helped to develop ultra-high reliability electronic components for the guidance system of the Minuteman missile. It was during this time that he began courting the love of his life, Clara Sue Durden of Columbia, SC, where they were later married on June 27, 1964.

In November of 1963, Clarence “temporarily” relocated to the Washington, DC area to begin work with the Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University where he supported the Polaris Missile program. He subsequently joined the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) where his conducted analysis of Soviet missiles for national intelligence estimates. In the 1960s, he became a season ticket holder for the Washington Redskins, a family tradition to this day (Hail to the Redskins!). In 1973, he decided to make a career transition from rocket science into real estate and joined Lancaster Realty in McLean, Virginia. There he ultimately became its owner and principal broker.

From 1974 until his passing, Clarence was a member of the International Knights of the Roundtable, a service organization dedicated to helping the handicapped. He fulfilled numerous functions for the Knights, including serving as its president. He was active in his church, serving on the vestry of St. John’s Episcopal Church in McLean, Virginia, and later as the Chairman of the building committee of St. Francis Church in Great Falls, Virginia. He also served as a docent at the Library of Congress for over ten-years, providing tours for visitors of this magnificent building.

Clarence authored CIA Spymaster (Pelican, 2004), a biography of his close friend and partner at Lancaster Realty, George C. Kisevalter, who was the most highly decorated case officer in the history of the CIA. In addition, he authored “Forty Years in the Wilderness,” documenting the early years of St. Francis Church.

Like his father, Clarence had a passion for golf, highlighted by a hole in one on the tenth hole at River Bend Golf and Country Club using a 2 wood! His declining health robbed him of his avid golfing hobby, forcing him to refocus his efforts on his writing ventures. Over time, he lost interest in getting rich, but he remained in love with the same girl all his life.

Clarence was a faithful and loving husband to Clara Sue and a devoted father for his four sons. He exemplified the ideal family man, embodied strong character, and embraced public service and patriotism. His influence will endure through his impact on his children, his many friends, his church, and community for generations to come.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 7, 2023 at 11 am at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 9220 VA-193 Georgetown Pike, Great Falls, VA 22066. A reception will be held following the service.