Ricey Clarkson New

Ricey Clarkson New, born May 1, 1959, went to be with his Heavenly Father on Friday, November 24, 2017, following a courageous battle with mental illness. He was a father, a brother, a son, a friend, and so much more to so many people. Clark grew up in Alexandria, Va. and found a love for basketball at St. Stephen's prep school, eventually going on to play for Washington & Lee University. He vacationed in Majorca, Spain with his parents, Ricey and Justin, as well as siblings, Jimmy, David, and Townie. Later, Clark briefly lived in Chile with his former wife and mother of his children, Elizabeth before returning to find success in computer sales for IBM. He always retained a love for travel and often returned to South America to keep his language skills sharp after becoming a Spanish Teacher in Albemarle County. Clark had an affinity for art and spending time in nature. He hiked the entirety of the Appalachian Trail using the trail names "Cool Breeze" and "Papapuchi," a nickname given to him by his three loving sons, Colten, Kendall, and Madison. He would write poetry while on the trail and return home to make paintings of the things he saw and felt. His boys would come with him to listen to poetry readings on the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville, Va. where he lived for many years before moving to Crozet. In Crozet, Clark was blessed to meet Jim and Sue Copeland, with whom he lived with for many years while recovering from a prior season of bipolar depression. In their home he found a love for God through a relationship with Jesus Christ and a church community that supported him while finishing his teaching licensure and returning to work. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 6, 2018, from 1 until 2:30 p.m. at Mountain Plain Church, 4281 Three Notched Rd, Charlottesville, VA 22901. Clark's family welcomes anyone to view photos, read stories, or make a donation in Clark's honor at ClarkNew.com. Donations will benefit The Cameron Gallagher Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping teens with mental illness. The Family would also like to thank Sam Kellum, Terry Battaglia, Region Ten, Morningside, and the UVA Medical Center staff for their care and support.