The Rev. Mr. Deene Clark

Passed on Wednesday, 05 September 2012

AMHERST - Deene D. Clark, 80, of Amherst passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012, at Hospice of the Fisher Home in North Amherst following a brief illness.

Deene was born in Exeter, N.H., on Dec. 11, 1931, the son of Maurice and Edith (Danforth) Clark. He grew up and was educated in Concord, N.H., then graduated from Brown University in 1953. After working for Aetna Life and the admissions office at Brown, he earned his bachelor's degree in divinity from Harvard Divinity School. Following a master's degree in organizational development from Boston University, Deene received his doctorate in pastoral counseling from Andover-Newton Theological School.

His career included several years as assistant minister at the First Congregational Church in Amherst, and then 21 years as senior minister at the Dover Church in Dover. Rev. Clark returned to Amherst in 1985 to serve as associate director of career counseling in addition to coordinator of religious affairs at Amherst College, retiring in 2000.

With an enduring love of horses since childhood, Deene enjoyed a lifetime of gardening, tending his bees as well as writing and playing the drums.

He leaves behind his wife, Ann (Haley) Clark, of 54 years; his children, Todd Clark of Washington, D.C.; Kimberlee Dodd and her husband Jim of Medway; Amy Clark-Hartzler and her husband Scott of Falmouth; and eight grandchildren, Breanna, Mikayla, Jessica, Sophia, Jacob, Kevin, Michael and Ashley, who called him Poppies.

Deene was predeceased by his sister, Constance Richardson.

A memorial service will be held at First Congregational Church, 165 Main St., Amherst, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, followed by a celebration of Deene's life at the Amherst Woman's Club, 35 Triangle St., Amherst.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to Hospice of the Fisher Home, 1165 No. Pleasant St., Amherst MA, 01002. Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.