Walter S. Clark Jr ’57

Walter S. Clark Jr ’57 died in his sleep in Naples, Florida, on February 25. “Skip” graduated from Grosse Point (Michigan) High School. At Dartmouth he majored in history and was in Kappa Sigma and on the swimming team all four years, competing in relay and butterfly. Skip earned an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan. He tried his hand as a stockbroker and ad executive, but the excitement of Wall Street and Madison Avenue was short-lived when he had to adjust to a meager two weeks of vacation. With a desire to globe trot, he turned to a profession with ample blocks of annual leave: teaching. After retraining with a master’s in public education, he worked as a high school social studies and history teacher in the New York public school system, which allowed time to travel, often solo and off the beaten track, to more than 100 countries. He recorded his trips with photography assignments from National Geographic. Skip had an easygoing charm, a dry wit, and a generosity of spirit. He fed his soul with music, art, and theater. A longtime bachelor, he married at 40 to a French wife. He had a home in Hyde Park, Vermont, and was a seasonal resident of Naples, Florida. In an active retirement he skied, became a glider pilot, and learned to play pickle ball. Survivors include daughter Emilie, grandchildren, and life partner of 16 years, Judi.