Stanley Victor Clark

EULOGY FOR STANLEY The sudden and unexpected death of Stanley, my father, last Tuesday, has been a tremendous shock to us all. There was no indication that he was ill. In fact, we spent the day together as a family, having fun, and later went out to one of his favourite restaurants for a meal. It was to be his last. He died of a massive heart attack that night. Dad was not the typical 67- year old, but was full of life, enthusiasm and love. He was especially fond of his grand-daughter, Charlotte, who was really the apple of his eye. He would spend quality time with her every day, accompanying her to school, taking her for walks, sometimes to the playground to go on the slides and swings, taking her for rides on her bike, and especially, swimming in the pool at home on evenings. Many nights he would put her to bed and enjoyed reading with her and telling her stories, doing puzzles, painting with her crayons and paints, and of course, Accountant that he was, teaching her to count. She adored him as her Papa, especially after the untimely death of her own father, my husband Damian, exactly two years ago. Dad tried to fill the void and nothing was too much for him to do for her. He would watch her favourite cartoons and movies with her, which also involved his making the popcorn and providing snacks. They had a very beautiful relationship and all these activities filled his life with joy. Dad would probably be remembered most for his cheerfulness, good humour, and his characteristic laugh. He greeted everyone with a jovial laugh, no matter who they were and this was evident even in answering the phone. He greeted the world with a smile. He was a humble man, very self-effacing, gentle, generous, affable and above all, a good and decent human being. He was a wonderful father and grandpa, a loving husband, and a friend to many. Dad's hobbies were reading (he loved Ludlum novels), watching action movies, swimming, and of course the music of Elvis Presley, of whom he was a great fan. Dad was the second child in a family of eight children born to Eric and Monica Clark (both deceased). He attended St Mary's College in Trinidad and the South West London College in England, where he attained his ACCA qualification as a professional Accountant. He worked at Price Waterhouse Coopers in Trinidad as an Audit Manager and later became a Partner in the firm. He then joined Caribbean Packaging Industries as Finance Director and stayed there for twenty-three years until he retired in 2007. Throughout his career, he was known and respected for his honesty, integrity and professionalism. Damian and I, along with Mom and Dad, moved here to Florida in 2007, shared a home together and enjoyed life as a family. Dad and Damian loved each other's company and had some good limes together until Damian's shocking murder in Trinidad in 2008, where Dad was the first one to be at his side. Mom and I feel that Dad never got over that loss. Neither have we, and we probably never will. We are glad that Dad had the opportunity to enjoy his retirement for the last three years of his life, free of stress, worry and fear. He enjoyed looking out over the lake, enjoying the scenery and playing his music. We are grateful to have had the chance to have him in our lives for the time that we did; for the joy, the laughter, the fun and the love that we shared together. Now God has called him home and we must continue on our journey without him. My grandfather always said that life is a circle from birth to death. There are small circles, as with the death of a child, and there are larger circles with the death of adults. But a circle is always perfect. It means that we have fulfilled our purpose here on earth. Stanley certainly did. He has touched the lives of many and has left the world a better place for those who knew him. I wish to thank all of you for coming here today to celebrate his life, especially those who took the time and trouble to come here from Trinidad. Mom and I wish to express our deepest appreciation for your thoughts, prayers and comforting words. We will always love him and hold him in our hearts forever. Please continue to pray for Dad and remember him --- with a smile. We miss him already! Thank you. Obituary Stanley Victor Clark, 67, of Wellington, Florida passed away on Tuesday, May 25, 2010. Born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, he was the son of the late Eric and the late Monica (Marcano) Clark. Stanley's memory will be cherished by his loving and devoted wife Carol Angela (Fortuné) Clark; daughter, Dr. Carolyn Amanda Clark-Sobrien; granddaughter, Charlotte Victoria Sobrien; siblings, Andre Louis (Imelda) Clark, Isabel Khan, Luanna (Ronald) Newman, Sandra Hosein, Ericka (Dave) Storey, Angelo (Lorraine) Clark, Adrian (Maureen) Clark, Natasha Young and Delia (Marlon) Ali; and was a brother-in-law of 12. A visitation will be held 5-7 PM on Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at Palms West Funeral Home with a wake service beginning at 6:30 PM. A Mass of the Resurrection will be held 2 PM on Wednesday, June 2, 2010 at St. Rita Catholic Church.