Clifford Benton “C.B.” Carver, Sr.

Clifford Benton “C.B.” Carver, Sr. was born to Haskell and Estal Carver on March 30, 1927, in Sikeston, Mo., and passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, just shy of his 95th birthday.

While living in Missouri, Clifford was the owner of East Prairie Sheet Metal Works in East Prairie, Mo., and later moved to Blytheville and began Venus Corporation which is still, after 54 years, providing sheet metal fabrication services.

Clifford left high school and enlisted in the U.S. Navy during WWII. He served aboard the USS Olmstead in the Pacific and saw duty in various areas of Japan and was on shore at Tokyo Harbor during the signing of the Japanese surrender. Upon his return to Missouri he attended SE Missouri State College and then later the University of Colorado – Denver.

Clifford was an avid golfer. When not at Venus Corporation you could usually find him on the Blytheville Country Club golf course enjoying 18 holes with his buddies. He thoroughly enjoyed traveling and playing on destination courses. He left this earthly world with 11 holes in one to his credit.

As a young man he joined the Shriners and became a 32nd degree and Master Mason.

Clifford was preceded in death by his wife, Charlotte Jean Lewis Carver; his parents, Haskell Carver and Estal Holifield Carver of Charleston, Mo.; and one sister, Denale Hess, also of Charleston.

He leaves three sons, Clifford Benton Carver, Jr. (Suzanne) of Blytheville, Kevin Michael Carver (Cristi) Germantown, Tenn., Christopher Lynn Carver (Pam) Blytheville; six grandchildren that he adored, Kevin Michael, Christopher, Chelsea, Robert, Benton and Weston Carver; and two great-grandchildren, Kevin Michael III and Charlotte, (the grandchildren and great-grandchildren affectionately refer to him as “Poppa CB”); one brother, Leroy “Bud” Carver of New Albany, Miss.; and one sister, Lenora Sitzes of Atlanta, Ga. He also leaves his caregiver for the past two years, Pearl Valentine.

Graveside services will be held Tuesday, March 1, at Elmwood Cemetery at 10 a.m.

The Carver family requests memorials be made to a charity of the donor’s choice.