KATHLEEN DIANE CLARKE, known affectionately as Diane, was born on February 10, 1934 in Paget, Bermuda to Archibald Frank and Florence (Tatem) Smith. Diane passed away on Sunday, May 24, 2020 in Fort Pierce, FL.
Diane was raised in Bermuda, where she converted to Catholicism as a high school student. She worked a number of secretarial jobs in Bermuda until July 1954, when she left for New York. She worked as a clerk/typist for Nassau County Board of Health and as a business office representative for the New York Telephone Company.
In April 1957, Diane met John P. Clarke, Jr. on a blind date through mutual friends. They were married on October 11, 1958 in Hamilton, Bermuda. They shared over sixty years of love, devotion and friendship. From this union, they were blessed with four children.
In 1972, Diane fulfilled her childhood ambition to become a nurse. She worked at Lakeside and Good Samaritan hospitals on Long Island until the family moved to Port St Lucie in 1980. She worked in the ICU at Martin Memorial in Stuart, FL, retiring in 2000.
A devoted Catholic, Diane will be remembered as a woman strong in faith. She was a dedicated fighter for the sanctity of life, supported multiple missions of the church and many pro-child organizations. She enjoyed traveling, being on and in the water, biking, nature and spending time with friends and family. She tried to find humor in almost everything, and had a welcoming and warm spirit.
Diane was preceded in death by her parents, sister Florence Lombardi, and daughter Kathryn Clarke. She leaves her loving family members to celebrate her life: her husband, John Clarke; her children, Susan Clarke, Terry Clarke and John (Tania) Clarke; twelve grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. She will be dearly missed by a host of relatives and friends. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to Boys Town (boystown.org) or American Heart Association (heart.org).
