Helen Dillon Clarke

Outgoing Contributor To The Fairfield    Community

Helen Dillon Clarke, 85, the loving wife of the late Robert Clarke, died at home, with family by her side, in Milford December 27.

She is survived by her children Robert of Newtown, Deborah of Bridgeport, John of Cheshire, Catherine of Westport, Peter of Dallas, Texas, Timothy of Southport, and Christopher of Larchmont, N.Y.; 18 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. 

A Fairfield resident for 42 years, Mrs Clarke was born in Jersey City, N.J., in 1920 to Michael and Helen Misbach Dillon and was raised in Teaneck, N.J., with a summer residence in Milford. She graduated from Teaneck High School in 1939 and worked as a nurse’s aide for the American Red Cross during World War II. Mrs Clarke pursued a career as an executive assistant at United Artists in New York City before marrying Robert P. Clarke, Jr, in 1948. Together, they raised seven children. In 1956, Mrs Clarke and family moved to Fairfield as her husband began a career with Remington Shavers, a division of Sperry Rand Corporation in Bridgeport.

During her years in Fairfield, Mrs Clarke was an outgoing contributor and volunteer to the community. In the early 1970s she spearheaded Backyard Camps, a joint program between ABCD and the Fairfield Committee on Human Relations, which established the Clarke home as a summer camp for Bridgeport inner city children, featuring outdoor crafts and swimming instruction.

She also remained active as a volunteer with the American Red Cross. In the 1980s and early 1990s, Mrs Clarke returned to the workplace, first with Stauffer Chemical in Westport, and then as executive assistant to the director for the Westport YMCA.

 An avid skier and sailor, Mrs Clarke was a member of the Pequot Yacht Club in Southport. Finally, she assisted her husband and sons at Market Channels Inc, a successful family-owned packaging and warehousing company in Milford.

Friends are invited to attend a mass at 10 am, Saturday, December 31, at St Pius X Church, 834 Brookside Drive, Fairfield. Internment will be in Oak Lawn Cemetery, Fairfield.

Donations in her memory may be made to Connecticut Hospice Homecare, 680 Bridgeport Avenue, Shelton CT 06484.

Arrangements entrusted to Shaughnessey-Banks Funeral Home, 50 Reef Road, Fairfield.

The Newtown Bee      December 30, 2005