Patricia Clark, an adjunct Humanities professor, died Oct. 28 of cancer.

Clark, 71, taught at St. Edward’s University as recently as this semester, but was forced to withdraw after her cancer returned in September.

Clark was hired to begin teaching during the fall semester of 2006.

Richard Bautch, the Religious Studies area coordinator at the time, hired Clark. In her three years on campus, she taught Basic Christian Questions, a freshman level Religious Studies course.

Clark applied to teach at St. Edward’s after she learned her cancer was in remission.

“I think her desire to teach was a way to partially deal with cancer,” Fr. Lou Brusatti, Dean of the School of Humanities said. “She was able to say ‘I don’t know how much time I’ve got, but given what I can do, this is how I’d like to make a contribution to young people’s lives.'”

Clark was adored by her students. She was quick to offer help to any student who was in need, either in the classroom or in their personal lives.

“She was a really lovely woman,” said former St. Edward’s student Austin Lowrey. “She was open and honest about her religion and faith. That was refreshing to hear from someone who was both a professed Christian and a professor. “

After Clark fell ill, the Humanities department sent an e-mail to Clark’s students asking them to sign a card for her. The number of students who came to sign the card impressed both the Humanities staff and Brusatti.

“It was clear that she had a positive impact on her student’s lives,” Brusatti said.

Clark attended Marywood College in Scranton, Penn. for her undergraduate degree. She earned a B.A. in religious studies.

She then attained graduate degrees in a variety of fields. In 1970 she received a master’s degree in Medical Technology. She then went back to school and completed another master’s degree in Science Education in 1978. In 1995, Clark also got a master’s of divinity from the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest.

Clark was also a well-accomplished composer of hymns.

She had two books of hymns published, “The Still Small Voice” and “A Tale of Heaven’s Joys: A Collection of Original Hymns.”

According to Bautch, Clark was going to have another book of hymns published in the near future.

Prior to coming to St. Edward’s, Clark had 16 years of experience teaching high school at a few parochial schools in Texas.

“She was an excellent professor, and equally as important, she was beloved by her students,” Bautch said. “Her students would often speak about her kindness and her humor.”

Jessie Cibik, a former student at St. Edward’s, said Clark was inspirational.

“She was a kind woman with a gentle spirit,” Cibik said. “She truly lived by the messages she taught.”

Clark is survived by her husband, Don W. Clark, as well as step-daughters Hailley Felter and Allicia Clark.

The funeral will be a High Mass at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepard on Nov. 7 at 11 a.m. The church is located at 3201 Windsor Rd.

A wake and hymn sing is planned for Nov. 6, and will feature eulogies offered by volunteers. Dates and times are tentative pending availability and approval from the church.

 

 

Additional reporting provided by Claire Cella.