Dennis M. Clare Sr.

Dennis M. Clare Sr., 81, of Louisville, Kentucky, died July 5, 2023. He was born in Louisville on March 8, 1942, to Virginia Bell Clare and Edward Joseph Clare. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Lynn Burke Clare; his daughters Evie Clare of Louisville and Colleen Irvin (Alex) of Basalt, Colorado; his son Dennis Clare Jr. (Christine Parker) of Brooklyn, New York; and his seven granddaughters; Piper Burke, Halpin Burke, Clare Irvin, Spencer Irvin, Ella Clare, Sophia Clare and Caroline Clare. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and friend.
He was a 1960 graduate of St. Xavier High School, where he played football, basketball and baseball. He graduated from Belmont Abbey College in 1965. At Belmont Abbey, he played baseball, basketball and soccer, captaining the soccer team in 1963 and 1964, and was named to the NCAA Coaches First Team All South and Honorable Mention All-American Teams in 1964. He also captained the Debating Team from 1962-65.
He received a J.D. from the University of Louisville in 1968 and practiced law in Louisville until his death, focusing on litigation, immigration and international law.
He was co-campaign manager for Mayor Frank W. Burke of Louisville in 1968 and for U.S. Representative Romano L. Mazzoli in 1970. He was Jefferson County Campaign Manager for Kentucky Governor Bert T. Combs in 1971.
He was a past board member of the Belmont Abbey College Board of Trustees, the Crane House, the March of Dimes, the Louisville Youth Performing Arts Association, the Louisville Downtown Management Committee, the Main Street Association, the Kentuckiana Girl Scouts Council, the St. Xavier Alumni Association and the Louisville Boat Club.
He greatly enjoyed tennis, golf, alpine skiing and especially squash, in which he competed in team and individual tournaments nationwide for over fifty years. Some of his best memories and closest friends were from his squash experiences. He was a member of the Louisville Boat Club and the Louisville Country Club, as well as the Columbus Beach Club and the Indian River Golf Club, both in Indian River, Michigan, and the Snowmass Club in Snowmass Village, Colorado.
He and Lynn traveled extensively through North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. He particularly enjoyed summers in northern Michigan on Burt Lake with his whole family.
Visitation will be at Pearson Funeral Home, 149 Breckenridge Lane, Monday July 10, from 3 to 7 pm. The Funeral Mass will be at the Cathedral of the Assumption, 433 South 5th Street, Tuesday July 11, at noon. Burial will immediately follow at Calvary Cemetery, 1600 Newburg Road.
He will be missed!
Arrangements under the direction of Pearson's, "Where Louisville Goes To Remember".