Born 57 years ago, Jackie lived most of her life in New York before moving to Sudbury. She lived with her eldest sister Patricia for nearly 14 years before joining the angels on July 2, 2019. She was the beloved daughter of the late Walter and Dorothy Clark, cherished sister of Patricia McCann (Eugene) of Sudbury, MA; Marilyn Monroe (Mark) of Raleigh, NC; and the late Carol Clark. Dear aunt of David Fagen (Rhonda) of Raleigh, NC; Jaime Fagen Baliva of Holly Springs, NC; Lea Monroe of Waterford, NY; Christopher McCann of Sudbury, MA; Brian McCann and his partner Amelia Hall of Essex, MA and the late Cara and Timothy McCann. Loving great aunt of Audriana and Declan Drue of Waterford, NY; and Samantha, Anthony and Dominic Baliva, and Owen and Keaton Fagen, all of NC.
Jackie attended the Rosemary Kennedy School in NY, and worked for many years at McDonald’s. When she came to Massachusetts, she worked at TJ Maxx and Charles River ARC Employment Services.
Jackie had Mosaic Down Syndrome, a mix of Trisomy 21 and normal chromosomes. In many ways quite high functioning, she still faced obstacles most of us would find daunting, and did so with optimism and good cheer. In a turn of fate few would have predicted, Jackie became the loving caretaker of her Mom when she began to fail. She prepared meals, did some laundry, and even made sure Mom took her pills. Some families say that the extra 21st chromosome in Trisomy 21 is actually the one for love, and in some cultures, Down Syndrome children are referred to as angels. She certainly was ours.
Because there is a connection between Azheimer’s related enzymes and the 21st chromosome, there is a higher frequency of Alzheimer’s among the Down Syndrome population than in the general public. Since the disease also progresses more quickly in Down Syndrome, she was asked to be part of an NIH/MGH study conducted by Drs. Florence Lai and Diana Rosas of McLean Hospital in Belmont to search for biomarkers of Alzheimer’s. She had just participated in the final stage of the three year study when she succumbed to complications from the disease. As it took over her gentle mind, we sadly watched her decline. She beat a part of it though. It never touched her contagious smile or her selfless love.
Many of us think about our legacy. Did I leave the world a better place? Jackie doesn’t have to wonder about that. She spread goodness and cheer and taught us lessons about living and loving that no academic could dream of teaching. She will live on as long as we live. We will never forget her.
Her family would like to thank Charles River ARC of Needham, MA; TILL in Hudson, MA; Minuteman ARC of Concord; Care Dimensions Hospice and Life Care Center of Nashoba Valley for care in her final months; and Dr. Marguerite Roach, her longtime personal physician, for the loving and competent support they all provided.
Contributions in the name of Jacqueline Lee Clark are gratefully accepted to the following:
Development Department
The Charles River ARC Center
59 E. Militia Heights Drive
Needham, MA 02492
Or
The Alzheimer’s Association
Services have been held.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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