Benjamin S. Clark Jr.

Clark, Benjamin S. Jr. CHATHAM Benjamin S. Clark Jr., 74, a pro-bono human rights lawyer and a lover of cats, died April 26, 2012, at St Peter's Hospital in Albany after a valiant 12-year struggle with cancer. Born in New York City on April 19, 1938, he was educated at the Millbrook School and Hamilton College. He became a reporter, and was working at the Bernardsville (N.J.) News when he was called up by the Army, and served as a clerk-typist based at La Plata, Md. After his tour of duty, he returned to journalism, working as the editorial manager of the Mt. Kisco office of the White Plains Reporter Dispatch, until 1970, when the parent corporation closed that office. He then tried his hand at real estate sales. Ben's brief marriage to Anne Outhwaite ended in divorce in 1971. The next year, he moved to Chatham to partner a real estate agency with Jean and Christopher Price. Ben loved, and was knowledgeable about many aspects of the real estate business, particularly rental property, but recognized that sales was not his forte, so, in 1975 he took a job as rehabilitation specialist for the Village of Chatham Community Revitalization (U.S.H.U.D.) Program. In 1984, he moved to a similar position with the City of Rensselaer. There he met and worked with Fred Conway of Chatham in the H.U.D. Small Cities Block Grant program. The two became close friends. Although he enjoyed the work, Ben found the small-town politics of Rensselaer not to his taste, so 10 years later, he took a position with the New York Office of Real Property Tax Services as a regional counselor to property tax assessors in several Adirondack communities, and stayed there until he retired in 2007. Ben was an avid student, particularly of the law, and decided to enroll in evening paralegal studies at Russell Sage College. A professor there, recognizing his student's intellectual ability, persuaded him to pursue a legal education. Ben enrolled in the Western New England University School of Law, in Springfield, Mass. in 1998. Although then more than 60 years old, Ben continued to work full-time at ORPS, while commuting two evenings a week to law school, graduating May 18, 2002. He passed the New York State Bar on his first attempt, the next year, despite undergoing a one-year treatment for colon cancer, discovered just after graduation. After passing the bar, he joined forces with his Hamilton College friend, retired attorney John Hand of Cambridge Mass., who specializes in pro-bono legal work for the disadvantaged. Ben's practice focused particularly on helping death-row inmates in the American South, and beleaguered African refugees seeking asylum in the United States. Ben did legal research for briefs in post-conviction death penalty cases in South Carolina and Florida. He did extensive country conditions research to support asylum applications for people who had been tortured for political reasons in Somalia, Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In both areas, Ben's analysis of facts of the cases combined with his research greatly assisted in the preparation of the legal papers. Ben was greatly admired and loved by the occupants of his several rental properties in, and around Chatham. He was engaged in many community organizations, most notably the Village of Chatham Zoning Board of Appeals, and Friends of The Chatham Public Library. His interests and generosity ranged far and wide. In October 2011, he received the New York Planning Federation's Levine Award for Community Service, in recognition of his volunteer efforts on behalf of the Village of Chatham. Ben leaves his sisters, Charlotte Clark de Bresson (and Edgar de Bresson) of Paris, France, Tibby Clark (and her partner Laila Tofte) of Pound Ridge, N.Y., Ella Clark of West Cornwall, Conn., and her children, Cristina Mathews, Alec Mathews and Jess Meyer and their children, as well as many friends, including Chris and Jean Price of Red Rock, N.Y., their son Cameron Price of Brooklyn, N.Y., Fiona and Chris Van Wie and family of Red Rock, John Hand and Janet Ghattas of Cambridge, Mass., Gail Mrkvicka of Sarasota, Fla., and his wonderful caregivers, Lisa Wolf, PA, and Theresa Maneen, RN, of the New York Oncology Albany Cancer Center; not to mention his rescue cat and boon companion, Luna. Contributions in his memory may be sent to Whiskers Animal Benevolent League in Albany, or the charity of your choice. Online condolences may be sent at www.frenchblasl.com. A celebration of Ben's life will be held from 1 to 3 p.m., Saturday, May 12, at Destino Restaurant, Chatham. All of Ben's friends are welcome. As Ben might have said, quoting "the Great Man" W.C. Fields, "I'd rather be in Philadelphia."