Robert Arthur Clark was born on December 9, 1941, on the Naval Station Guantánamo Bay in Cuba to Helen (Callaghan) Clark and Rear Admiral H. Garner Clark. He died peacefully at home in Colorado Springs with his family on June 22, 2024.
Called “Bob” by friends and family (and “Big Bad Bob” by a special few), he grew up in a Navy family with his older brother Jack. In 1959, Bob began his studies at the University of Notre Dame, where he stuffed towels under his door in Sorin Hall to allow him to study after lights out, began developing his skills as an excellent Bridge player, and attended every home football game. After completing the ROTC program and graduating in 1963, Bob was commissioned, entered active duty in the Navy, and served during the Vietnam War. He completed active duty in 1969 and went on to serve in the Naval Reserve for 14 more years, retiring as a Commander.
Bob’s Navy service included a providential assignment in London, England that changed his life: it was there he met his future wife of 55 years, Catherine “Kathy” O’Donnell. Love at first sight led to their 1968 Wimbledon wedding before Bob was shipped back to Washington, DC.
Their fairytale marriage next journeyed from the East Coast to the West in Bob’s shiny new red MGB convertible, landing in Menlo Park, California. There, Bob pursued a doctorate in mechanical engineering at Stanford University, and he and Kathy welcomed their first child, Christina Ruth (“Tina”). After earning his PhD, Bob followed his father’s advice to “do the next right thing” and accepted a position as a computational physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where he dedicated himself to strengthening the national security of the United States. Soon after, Roberta Jean (“Jeannie”) was born, completing their tight-knit family of four.
For the next two decades, Bob worked at the Lab while building a wonderful life with his wife and children. He loved downhill skiing at Pajarito Mountain, golfing in weekly leagues, playing poker with a boisterous gang of fellow “Labbies,” and teaming up with Kathy in their Bridge club. He instilled in his daughters his strong work ethic, commitment to education, appreciation of travel, and a lifetime soundtrack of Buddy Holly; Peter, Paul, & Mary; Simon & Garfunkel; and ABBA. He shared his skills playing darts and billiards (jesting these were the result of a misspent youth) and applied his mathematical mind to $5 max blackjack tables in many a casino, as he and Kathy tracked their record over decades.
Bob and Kathy moved to Colorado Springs in 2002, seeking the high desert climate and close proximity to skiing, golf, and a military base. Bob enjoyed every day with Kathy and sustained old friendships while building new ones. His daughters both moved to the Denver area with their families, and Bob and Kathy were able to see their children and grandchildren regularly.
Throughout his life, Bob adored his wife, his daughters, their spouses, and his grandchildren, spending untold hours throughout the decades at youth sports events, school orchestra concerts, spelling bees, and theatre productions. He was a reluctant cat-lover, a Trekkie, a Cubs fan, and an unwavering supporter of the Fighting Irish, through thick and thin. He enjoyed taking the entire family to see the Rockies at Coors Field and celebrating milestones and holidays with loved ones. He was always a scientist, expanding his knowledge through reading, reflecting, and discussions on topics from the future of electric vehicles to the origins of the universe. But most importantly, he was generous, kind, loving, patient, witty, and humble. Those who knew him likely never heard him speak of his many accomplishments. He was unquestionably a man of integrity.
Bob was preceded in death by his parents, H. Garner and Helen Clark, and his beloved Aunt Ruth Sheehy. He leaves behind his loving wife, Kathy Clark; his children Tina (Jamie) Studts and Jeannie (Jonas) Mabey; his grandchildren Shannon Studts, Caleb Mabey, Cait Studts, and Finn Mabey; his brother, John (Luisa) Clark and family; his Callaghan cousins; and many O’Donnell in-laws across the Atlantic. He also leaves behind Maurice and Gigi, who continue the long line of felines who won his heart.
Bob’s funeral Mass will be held at 10:00am on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at St. Patrick Catholic Church at 6455 Brook Park Drive in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He will be interred with military honors in a private ceremony in Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado. Bob’s family would like to thank Swan-Law Funeral Directors and St. Patrick Catholic Church for their support and thoughtful arrangements.
Please consider a donation in Bob’s memory to support research on interstitial lung disease (ILD), including pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Bob knew that a cure for this disease is yet to be discovered, and he strongly supported advancing scientific research to further the understanding and treatment of ILD. We kindly suggest a donation directly to the extraordinary research team at the University of Colorado who provided care to Bob throughout his illness.
• To donate, please visit https://giving.cu.edu/fund/write-fund and indicate that your gift is in memory of Robert Clark by selecting “In memory of” and entering his full name. (Completion of “Next of Kin/Contact Information” fields is optional.)
• On the check-out page, to ensure that your donation reaches the intended research team, please insert this language into the Comments box: “Gift to be directed to the Dr. Joyce Lee Research Support Fund D-0042662.”
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