Francis Joseph Clarke
Francis Joseph Clarke was born in New York City on March 24, 1941. He grew up in the Highbridge section in the Bronx, the youngest of three children to Frank and Margaret McHale Clarke, both from County Mayo, Ireland. He was educated at Sacred Heart Elementary School and Cathedral Preparatory, a Minor Seminary, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He graduated from Fordham University in 1963.
After Fordham, he joined the U.S. Navy, serving two years aboard the U.S.S. Lowry. He spent one year helping sandblast the ship in Norfolk, Va. and the second getting a chance to see different parts of the world, including ports in Europe.
Following the Navy, he took a job with the Ronald Press in Manhattan, where he met his future wife, Elizabeth Ann Slocum. They had their first date at Molly Maguire's Pub and Restaurant on St. Patrick's Day in 1967 and got married on September 14, 1968 at St Vincent Ferrer Church in New York City. They were married 56 years and were deeply devoted to each other, with Elizabeth caring for and comforting him at their apartment in Manhattan as he fought a short battle with cancer. He died peacefully in his sleep on the morning of April 1.
After living a brief time in the Bronx, Frank and Elizabeth moved to Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y. in 1970 where they raised their three sons: Andrew (born in 1969), Paul (born in 1971) and David (born in 1974).
Frank retired from a long career in the reinsurance industry in 2009. He had an incredible work ethic that was developed at a young age. He took his first job when he was around 10-years-old, sweeping out a neighborhood store. Growing up in a working class family, he held a number of after school jobs, among his favorites was as an errand boy for a local butcher, who inspired a lifelong interest in food and nutrition. At age 12, he was able to buy his family their first television set from his earnings from that job.
Curious and intelligent, he was a lifelong learner who devoured numerous newspapers each day and tuned into the PBS Newshour at night. When he began to travel more broadly once his sons were out of college, he would make the most of the trips to London and other European capitals by studying up on everything he wanted to see months in advance, occasionally writing to the travel guide authors to correct their errors.
He was also a prodigious saver, prioritizing spending money on family dinners and vacations as well as his sons’ education. He particularly enjoyed the family’s yearly trip to Martha’s Vineyard, where he had earlier honeymooned with Elizabeth. His kids got a kick out of the lengths he would go to bulk up the bank account for these activities. He cut coupons, viewed jeans as a 15-year-investment, and insisted on commuting to work in a car without air conditioning or a radio, which he considered frivolous luxuries. But he was always generous with his family and others – most importantly with his time and attention. He was an uncommonly decent man with an empathetic spirit.
In Croton, he was an active member of Holy Name of Mary Church where he served as a lector and a member of the choir. As a boy, he was an altar boy. As an adult, he often attended mass multiple times a week.
In the early 2000s, he and Elizabeth bid the suburban life goodbye and moved into an apartment in Manhattan just up the avenue from the United Nations. He was invigorated by all there was to do and took joy in even routine activities like grocery shopping at different markets as well as chamber music concerts at local churches. The neighborhood was in some ways far from the Bronx where he grew up, but also had reminders of the life his immigrant parents built for themselves and their children with the opportunities they found in America. The Con Edison plant where his father worked was only a few blocks down the street and around the corner was a brownstone where his mother worked as a maid when she first arrived from Ireland.
Along with being a loving father and husband, he was a welcoming and loving presence for his three daughters-in-law: Kristen, Jennifer and Margaret. He made each feel like a member of the family.
He was also a wonderful grandfather, or “Papa,” who took immense joy in his four grandchildren: Matt (25), Emma (23), Betsy (4) and Charlotte (18 months). He was an enthusiastic singer whose tastes ran toward old standards. As young children, Matt and Emma got a kick out of his renditions of “Top Hat, White Tie and Tails” and “I Got Shoes.” Betsy and Charlotte loved hearing him sing “Alouette, Gentille Alouette” with Betsy proudly learning the lyrics so she could sing the song back to him. All four were treated to his monkey face and learned to make it themselves while laughing.
Frank Clarke is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Slocum Clarke of Manhattan; his sons Andrew (Kristen Thomas Clarke) of Devon, Pa.; Paul (Jennifer Kotler Clarke) of Ossining, N.Y., David (Margaret Lynn Chadbourn) of Alexandria, Va.; his grandchildren Matthew of Nashville, Tenn., Emma of Philadelphia, Pa.; Elizabeth “Betsy” of Alexandria, Va. and Charlotte Frances of Alexandria, Va., and numerous nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his sisters Anne Bérubé and Rita Buckley.
There will be a memorial service to celebrate Frank's life at The Church of St. Vincent Ferrer, at 869 Lexington Ave (Between 65th & 66th) New York, NY 10065 on April 14th at 10am. Following the service, there will be a luncheon at Copinette located at 891 1st Ave (at 50th Street), New York, NY 10022.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Frank’s honor to the following organizations:
Carpenter’s Shelter
Breakthrough T1D,
NYC Bird Alliance
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Donna M. Hamilton, a beloved mother, was born on December 27, 1943 in Kansas City, MO and peacefully passed away in the early evening of October 31, 2025. Donna’s faith guided her outlook to motherhood and to life. Donna grew up throughout the state of Texas. After graduating high school, her family moved to Washington, D. C. She eventually met and later married Vernon Hamilton (1930-2014); they had three children. Donna enjoyed participating in her church's events, embroidery, watching Hallmark movies, and most of all being with her family and friends. She had a beautiful smile and a kind, friendly personality that was noticed by everyone. Donna retired from New York Presbyterian Hospital after working as a Physician’s Assistant for over 35 years. She worked in the ambulatory surgery and plastic surgery departments, but her passion was in plastic surgery. Donna was phenomenal and highly respected in her field and often would be called upon to help the student physicians. Donna is survived by her three children: Scott, Melody, and Todd, an older brother, John Scott, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her grandson, Hamilton, who lived nearby, was often at her apartment visiting, going to the store for her when it became too difficult, or trying to keep her spirit up. Donna was loving, kind, charming, and unforgettable. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her and she will continue to inspire us all. Two quotes that our mother always told us (and the grandchildren and great-grandchildren): “treat others the way you wanted to be treated” and “do not compare yourself to others because for always there will be greater and lesser persons than you.”
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CECILE OTTE PERNICA, 90, died peacefully on October 27, 2025. Born in Iowa, she lived much of her life in Wisconsin, graduating from Lawrence University in Appleton in 1957. Cecile had careers in public relations and marketing research upon moving to New York City in 1964. She was married to Joseph Pernica of Czechoslovakia who passed away in 2011. Together they conducted international and other marketing research for 10 years. She is survived by her brother David Otte plus many nieces and nephews in Massachusetts and Czech Republic. Services will be held at John Krtil Funeral Home on Monday, November 3, 5 PM - 8PM. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Catherine of Siena Church at 411 E68th St New York, NY 10065 on Tuesday, November 4, 10AM with a Private Burial.
John S. Bracken (82), of Eltingville, Staten Island passed away on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 surrounded by love from his immediate family. John, more affectionately known as Jack, was born on November 28, 1942 on Staten Island to John and Evelyn Bracken. John grew up on Staten Island but spent most of his adult life in Manhattan and The Catskill Mountains in Upstate New York. While John was born a city man, he always heard the call of the wild deep in his heart. After spending many years in the city, he left for the peacefulness of the Upstate New York Catskill Mountain Range. There he spent his final years in harmony and total freedom, something he valued beyond words. As a young man, John served as a Paratrooper in the United States Army which was followed by a career in the FDNY during which he rose to the rank of Lieutenant. Throughout his life, John was a business owner, real estate investor, and restaurateur. One of his many ventures included being the proprietor of The Cathedral Cafe, a well established bar/restaurant on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, featured in both television and film. John married his loving wife, Maureen Elizabeth Murphy Bracken, on July 18, 1981 in New York City and together they shared 44 years of love and companionship. He is survived by his wife (Maureen Elizabeth Bracken, née Murphy), his daughter (Casey Elizabeth Ryan), his son-in-law (James Raymond Ryan III), and his grandson (James Raymond Ryan IV (JR)), his niece (Donna Bracken Albanese) and her husband (Jody Albanese), nephews (Richard Bracken JR. and Brian Bracken), great nephew (Richard Bracken III), and great nieces (Kristy and Jennifer Albanese).
Mary M. Terillo October 6th, 2025 Visitation Thursday, October 9th & Friday, October 10th 3:00pm-7:30pm Mass of Christian Burial Church of Saint John Nepomucene East 66th Street & First Avenue Saturday, October 11th 10:00am Burial Saint Charles Cemetery Farmingdale, NY Saturday, October 11th 12:30pm In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the following organizations in Mary Terillo's name. Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers P.O. Box 302 Maryknoll, NY 10545 (888) 627-9566 and/or Saint Francis Inn 2441 Kensington Ave Philadelphia, PA 19125 (215) 423-5845
Kelvin LaVerne (1937-2025) Kelvin LaVerne, 88, of New York, New York, died peacefully at home surrounded by family, on September 24, 2025. He was born in Bronx, New York in 1937 to Philip and Claire LaVerne. Kelvin often recounted his days playing stoopball, stickball, and other street games of the era. He lived blocks from Yankee Stadium and became an avid fan of the great teams of the 1940s and 1950s, sometimes watching the games and cheering with friends from a nearby rooftop. Born into a line of artists, Kelvin found his calling early on. His grandfather was a muralist, and his father, Philip, a talented, largely self-taught artist, who found success working and innovating in various materials, including glass, wood, and metal. As a teenager, Kelvin joined his father at the company Philip founded, producing works of both fine and functional art, including sculptured tables, mirrors, and wall-hangings. While busy working alongside his father, Kelvin also studied at the Art Students League and the Parsons School of Design, where he was influenced by the sculptor Seymour Lipton. By the 1960s, father and son had together built a successful business and were signing their works “Philip and Kelvin LaVerne,” which they sold in galleries and showrooms around the country. Letters of thanks and appreciation from clients filled the walls of their New York showroom, first on 57th Street, and then on Greene Street in SoHo. Seymour, Kelvin’s younger and only sibling, worked with the company in sales until he died tragically in 1967, far too young. After his father Philip died in 1987, Kelvin ran the business for another two decades. During this period, he produced mostly abstract, sculptural works. He cared lovingly and selflessly for his mother, Claire, who died in 2010 at the age of 94. Kelvin was a stalwart of the SoHo community for decades. In the 1960s, he and his father purchased a building on Wooster Street, where Kelvin worked for more than 40 years. He loved chatting with other artists and businesspeople in the area, eating in the local restaurants, and visiting the galleries. In 1967, Kelvin met Agatha, the love of his love, and wife of more than 50 years. They had three children and soon moved to the Upper East Side of Manhattan. They purchased a home in the community of Seaview, Fire Island, where they spent summers with their kids for many years. Kelvin loved the arts, movies, good food, photography, interesting people, and cats. As a younger man, he traveled widely. Full of insight into many areas of life, he was creative and creating until the end. Most of all, he loved his family – his wife, children (Sean, Darren, and Simone), their spouses (Vanessa and Cathy) and three grandchildren (Samuel, Teddy, and Nathaniel), all of whom survive him. Kelvin’s spirit and legacy will continue to inspire them, and all who had the opportunity to meet him in his long life. There will be a private service for family at King Solomon Memorial Park in Clifton, New Jersey. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Kelvin’s name to either of the following: The Metropolitan Museum of Art Donate | The Metropolitan Museum of Art Urban Cat League Donate – Urban Cat League – New York City ~ Dedicated to improving the lives of street cats everywhere