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Hundreds Expected For Plant City Soldier's Funeral

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By RAY REYES | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 6, 2007

Updated: 09/06/2007 03:04 pm

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PLANT CITY - Hundreds of people are expected to line the streets Saturday when fallen Army Sgt. Cory Clark is laid to rest.

Clark's funeral begins at 1 p.m. at the Plant City Church of God, 2103 Mud Lake Road. After the service, the procession will head north to Garden of Peace Cemetery, 102 E. Spencer St., just south of Interstate 4.

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Sgt. Cory Clark

The procession will leave the church and head north on Alexander Street, turn east on Thonotosassa Road, which turns into Reynolds Street, then goes north on Wheeler Street to Spencer Street, to the cemetery, police said.

Valrico resident Linda Lapina said today she hopes people will take the time Saturday to appear along the procession's route. Lapina started an e-mail campaign to encourage eastern Hillsborough County residents to participate.

"We want to show the family respect," Lapina said. "We want to get as many people as we can get."

The procession will leave the church and head north on Alexander Street, turn east on Reynolds Street, go north on Wheeler Street and enter the cemetery from Spencer Street, she said.

Clark, 25, was killed Aug. 28 in Afghanistan when an improvised device exploded while his unit was on a bridge. Clark is the fifth Plant City-area soldier to die in the battle zone since the war on terrorism began.

The military flew Clark's body into Lakeland Linder Regional Airport this morning. Clark's family was on the tarmac to greet the plane.

Clark expected to return stateside in February to his wife, Monica, and his four children, Malik Mitchell, 6, twins Cory Jr. and Quinton, both 3, and Kar-Yhana, 9 months. He planned to visit his mother in Plant City and enjoy her homemade peach cobbler. He told his family he would not re-enlist.

TBO producer Beth Gaddis contributed to this report.

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TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE

garden of peace cemetery • lakeland linder regional airport • eastern hillsborough county • mail campaign • army sgt • homemade peach • fallen army • cory clark • spencer street • wife monica • mud lake • alexander street • peach cobbler • spencer st • garden of peace • lapina • family respect • wheeler street • reynolds street • family shares

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