'59-64 Clemson Lineman CLARK GASTON to be buried today

Mar 17, 2014, 7:43 PM

CLARK GASTON, a tough & smart Clemson OLineman under Coach Frank Howard..later Attorney & award-winning ACC Football Ref died in Greenville SC on Sat March 15th after a very lengthy illness and will be buried in Greenville on Wednesday March 19. He was 72.

At Greenville High he was both a football lineman & state shot-put & discus champion where he graduated in 1959..after which Coach Frank Howard offered him a schollie at Clemson.

Clark graduated from USC Law in 1972, practiced Law in Greenville with the firm of Gaston & Allison for many years But his love was always for Clemson, supporting IPTAY, being a season ticket holder for football, baseball & basketball.

With this desire for football he began his officiating career in 1965 by refereeing both high school and small college games. From that he was honored to be selected to officiate the 1970 Shrine Bowl, where he had also been a player.

Then, Clark became an official for the ACC in 1971 and served in that capacity for 32 years. He officiated in 300 Division I games including many bowl games (4 Alonzo Stagg Bowl games which was the NC game during that era; 1976 All American Bowl; 1984 & 1988 Gator Bowls; 1990 & 1992 Liberty Bowls; the 1991 Tokyo Bowl & the 1992 Cotton Bowl and others not mentioned)..which won him a place in the SC HOF in 1999.

He also was the FIRST Clemson Alumnus to officiate in a Clemson football game due to his honesty & integrity..which earned him the 1992 Joe E. Long Service to Officiating Award.

Clark was a religious & family man (married 48 years with two daughters), belonged to various civic organizations, member of the Greenville Touchdown Club and served on the Salvation Army Board.

Condolences can be made to Clark's Family at either www.thomasmcafee.com OR to Caringbridge.org.

* In closing I would like to say that Clark was the very first classmate at Greenville High that I met in my new homeroom class when I had just days earlier moved there from Charlotte's Myers Park High in mid-semester of 1958..and I was scared to death since I entered the classroom 15 minutes late and the teacher blandly instructed me to sit in the back.

And there on the last row was Clark Gaston..me weighing 125 wet..and him being the largest student I'd ever met until 25 years later there was William The Fridge Perry! He smiled and asked me my name..and proceeded to tell me the class would be going down soon to the auditorium to vote for beauty queens for the school annual..and I should (or was it "better") vote for a certain contestant..which I DID! Turned out that she was his GF (Girl Friend)..but she was the prettiest IMO and won a spot in the annual on an entire page by herself..picked by Paul Newman himself.

RIP "Gentle Giant"..and thank you Clark for representing yourself so well as a loyal Clemson GentleMan for 55 years!

And lastly, WE honor you SIR with a crisp old-time Clemson Military Salute today..while sending you off with a sound you must have enjoyed many times..from the playing field to the campus to the stands.

CLEM in Cadence Count..1,2,3,4 1,2,3,4 C-L-E-M-S-O-N T-I-G-E-Rrrr-S Fight Tigers, Fight Dam-mit, FIGHT-FIGHT!