Robert Allan Clark

Robert Allan Clark EASTON Robert A. Clark of Easton died peacefully in his home surrounded by his familyon July 8, 2018, after battling Pancreatic Cancer. He was 76. Robert was born in Pittsburgh, the second of five children to Cynthia Ruhe Clark and W. Kenneth Clark, M.D. The family moved to Harrisburg when his father headed a statewide cancer project and later to Ridgewood, NJ, when he joined the American Cancer Society as Vice President of Medical Affairs in New York City. In Ridgewood, Rob informally participated in the neighborhood Rock and Roll Club and formally played sports for the Ridgewood Methodist Church. Rob earned his BA in psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University, Hackensack, NJ, and his MA in communications studies from Penn State University, State College. He served from 1965-68 in the U.S. Army, stationed at The Pentagon with the 902nd Intelligence Corps during the Vietnam War. During his final year of military service, he worked as an interviewer/writer for the Ralph Nader Congress Project. Rob worked for several colleges/universities during his professional career, including St. Lawrence University, NY; Lafayette College; Muhlenberg College; and Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, where he was Director of Campus Communications. Always creative with a keen eye for graphic design, he helped strategically position his institutions through marketing and publications. Throughout his career, Rob worked closely with senior administrators, including presidents and board members, writing talking points, scripts and providing sound public relations/communications counsel. During his 10 years at Muhlenberg College, Rob wrote speeches for college presidents to deliver at groundbreaking ceremonies for the Trexler Memorial Library and for the Baker Center for the Arts. He was fortunate enough to engage and spend time with luminaries such as Allen Ginsberg, former Secretary of Treasury William E. Simon, actor Matt Damon (star of "Rounders," partially filmed at Rutgers School of Law - Newark), famous jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, and many others. Before his college career, he was a writer/editor for two publications of trade associations in Washington, DC, and for the Ridgewood News, a NJ newspaper. Always a firm believer in giving back to one's chosen profession and community, Rob served terms as president of the International Association of Business Communicators, Lehigh Valley Chapter (IABC) and of the College and University Public Relations Association of Pennsylvania (CUPRAP). He was a board member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Middle Atlantic District, and a member of other professional organizations. Rob was a member of and contributed to several civic organizations. He was a Charter Board Member of the (Newark, NJ) Mayor's Task Force on Image and Promotion; Chairman, Communications Committee of Allentown-Lehigh County Chamber of Commerce; Chairman, Communications Committee of United Way of Lehigh County; as well as an advisory board member of the Salvation Army, Greater Newark, NJ, and Oneonta, NY. His sons fondly remember ringing the Army bell and handing out Christmas gifts to needy children. In Easton after his retirement from his professional positions, he served as a board member of the Village on College Hill, a member of the Neighborhood Association (Fountain Comm.), a volunteer for Lauren's First and Goal (pediatric cancer), for St. Vincent dePaul's Food Bank, and captain of the Briggs' Run (Lustgarten Foundation, pancreatic cancer). He will be remembered by many as a patient exercise tech at the Easton YMCA and as an avid racquet ball player who was a semi-finalist in his sole appearance at the 2014 Senior Olympics in Cleveland. Rob's survivors are his wife of 49 years, Barbara; his sons, Geoffrey (wife, Pamela) of Palmer, and Christopher of Philadelphia, PA; his grandsons Michael and Matthew. He is also survived by his sister, Connie, of CT, and brothers, William of VT, Scott of VT, Gary of NV. Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, July 21, 2018, at 10am in St. Andrew's Lutheran Church, 3900 Freemansburg Ave., Palmer Township. Call Saturday, 9:30-10am in the church. Arrangements are by the Strunk Funeral Home, Inc., Wilson. Offer online condolences at www.strunkfh.com. In lieu of flowers, a donation in Rob's memory may be made to American Cancer Society, 3893 Alder Place, Suite 170, Bethlehem, PA 18017. Strunk Funeral Home, Inc. 2101 Northampton Street Wilson Borough, PA 18042 610-258-7211