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Del Clark '90 Loses Battle with Cancer

Sad news from Oregon last week, when Del Clark, of the Class of 1990, lost his long battle with cancer, at the age of 41. Del was the subject of an earlier blog item when The Oregonian newspaper featured him. A lawyer in the Portland suburb of Sherwood, Del was not only a city councilor but also had been a member of the Sherwood Urban Renewal Policy Advisory Commission and a past president of the Sherwood Chamber of Commerce.

In stories about his death in both The Oregonian and the Sherwood Gazette, local officials were unanimous in their praise for Del’s service to his community.

Del’s W&L classmates will recall that in his sophomore year, he had a cancerous brain tumor and a prognosis of a year to live. After undergoing surgery and radiation, he came back to W&L in his junior year.

Todd Peppers ’90, Del’s roommate at W&L, writes: “During his final illness, Del displayed the same courage, serenity, faith, dignity and quiet humor that were so evident throughout his life.  His brave struggle against cancer was an inspiration to the friends and family that were privileged to have known and loved Del.”

Todd goes on to note that Del had come to W&L as a basketball player: “While his athletic career at Washington and Lee was cut short by an earlier bout with cancer, Del was a notable presence on his college campus (not simply because he was 6′ 8″) and was involved in a host of campus activities — including the Student Recruitment Committee, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, director of Campus Intramurals, and a dorm counselor.   It was at Washington and Lee that Del first became involved in community organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Lexington Bell Choir, and for the next two decades Del remained committed to working to give back to his local community.”

Del is survived by his wife, Krisanna, and their two children, Alaina and Declan Clark.

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