By Matt de Simone
Major Eddie Clark of the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office will retire at the end of June after spending over 40 years as a law enforcement officer. He worked for five different sheriffs in his 40-plus years in Botetourt. Clark retires, leaving an outstanding legacy of service to the county and many fond memories.
Clark grew up in Eagle Rock. He didn’t have a specific aspiration to enter law enforcement. While attending James River High School, Clark joked with his friends about being a police officer.
“I remember I used to make the joke that ‘it’s better to have the keys to the jail than be in it,’ so you have to work there to have a set of keys,” Clark joked during a recent interview. “[Becoming a law enforcement officer] just sort of happened.”
Clark grew up becoming friends with former Botetourt County Chief Deputy Delbert Dudding, who called Clark about job openings at the jail. Soon after hearing the news, Clark submitted an application that led to a job interview with another former Chief Deputy and Sheriff Jerry Caldwell. Clark was barely out of high school in June of 1980 and started with the Sheriff’s Office the next month.
During the last couple of years, Clark worked with the services department, which entails School Resource Officers (SRO), courts, and civil processing.
“They are great people to work with,” Clark said. “I was really lucky in all aspects of my career to be surrounded by good people, people that had your back. There were some tough scrapes along the way, but I was lucky to have the pleasure of working with some of the best.”
During his time with the Sheriff’s Office, Clark regularly participated in Toys for Tots programs, local clean-up efforts, and other volunteer activities. Clark coached sports for the rec club while his children were growing up and at Central Academy Middle School (CAMS).
“Botetourt’s always been a great supporter of the Sheriff’s Office, in general,” Clark continued. “The county residents just seem to always back us. I was lucky enough to work with sheriffs who tried to make [working at the Botetourt Sheriff’s Office] a better place to work. I had opportunities—I could’ve maybe left at one time, but this was home, and I didn’t want to leave it. It’s home to me.”
Clark’s last official day is June 30. However, today, he spends well-earned vacation hours playing golf, working around the house, and spending time with his family.
“I picked golf back up,” Clark explained. “I haven’t played since I was in my 20s, so I’m having to start over again.”
A retirement ceremony was held by the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office earlier this month. Sheriff Matt Ward presented Clark with a gold badge and watch commemorating Clark’s years of service.
Clark plans to spend time with his wife of over 30 years, Annette, his sons Mitchell and Cort, and his 5-year-old grandson, Jordy. Although being retired is now a reality for Clark, it’s still something he’s wrapping his head around.
“[Retirement] hasn’t really hit my family or me yet,” Clark explained. “It’s like a big vacation right now, it seems like. It’s hard to get used to not going in every day. That’s the [new] thing for me—getting up, planning my day, and getting caught up with things around the house.”
Clark plans to develop a rhythm post-retirement. He loves hunting and intends to do more during hunting season. Currently, Clark doesn’t have any long-term plans, but his time in law enforcement is at an end. He’s focusing on enjoying his retirement and being a grandfather.
“Our guys and gals at the Sheriff’s Office have a thankless job at times,” Clark stated. “Our people in the jail work hard. I feel like when working in Botetourt County, you couldn’t pick a better county for support of the deputy sheriff. It just seemed like the county was always behind us. I’m sure we didn’t make everybody happy, but for the biggest part, we satisfied folks and got the job done.”
