Obituary of Elizabeth Clark

Elizabeth ?Betty? Clark, 84, of 3 Chestnut Street, Cortland, NY, died peacefully Wednesday, October 10, 2007, at St. Mary?s Hospital in Amsterdam, NY. Born on January 11, 1923 in Boston, MA, she was the daughter of the late John and Catherine Glasle Buckley. On August 1, 1948 she was united in marriage to Gerald ?Jerry? Rooks Clark and their union lasted 24 years until his untimely passing in July of 1972. Betty was an extraordinary and multi-faceted individual who managed the family?s businesses with her husband, was a featured television and newspaper reporter, a mental-health advocate, a professional travel agent and a world-wide traveler who visited all seven continents during her lifetime. After moving to Cortland in 1948, she managed the offices of C. H. Clark & Son and was a sales manager for Shadduck & Company, her husband?s sporting goods business. Betty was an avid skier and outdoors-person along with her husband, Jerry. During the early 1960?s she was a news reporter for Channel 5 in Syracuse and a newspaper reporter for the Syracuse Herald Journal and Post Standard. During the later 1960?s and throughout the 1970?s, she was a tireless mental health advocate and played a key role in the development and growth of the Cortland Mental Health Center. During the 1980?s, she was a Provider Representative for Medicare responsible for over 100 hospitals and hospice facilities in upstate New York, before returning to her first love - travel. She became a Professional Travel representative in 1988 and worked actively until shortly before her death. Between her professional work and her personal travel she visited over 94 countries and all seven continents. Her loving family includes her three daughters, Kathleen Ann Cavanaugh Mike, Barbara Sue Clark Fred Telling and Jerri-Ann Cortese Phil; five grandchildren, Michael, Maureen and Thomas Cavanaugh; Jennifer Telling; and Anna Li Cortese; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. She is survived by her sisters, Martha Hallissey and Dolly Wilcox, and her brother, John Buckley, Jr. She was predeceased by her two other siblings, William Buckley and Alice Hudson. Relatives and friends are invited to call on Sunday, October 14th, from 4 pm to 7 pm at the Wright-Beard Funeral Home, 9 Lincoln Avenue, Cortland, NY. A prayer service will be conducted on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 9:30 am at the Wright-Beard Funeral Home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 am at St. Mary?s Roman Catholic Church with Monsignor Michael Minehan as celebrant. Interment will follow in the Cortland Rural Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests consideration be given to making any donations in her name to the Palliative Care Program, in care of St. Mary?s Hospital Foundation, 427 Guy Park Avenue, Amsterdam, NY 12010