TJEPKEMA o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2007-06-14 published
CLARKE,
Alan
Martin
(August 1, 1929-June 12, 2007)
After a full and wonderful life, and a long struggle with Parkinson's
Disease, Alan died in Toronto on June 12, 2007 at the age of
77. Alan cherished his family, and will be forever missed by
his beloved children Andrew (Lucy
VAN
OLDENBARNEVELD,)
Beth
(Laura
CABOTT,)
Jeffrey
(Jane
RUPERT,) and Matthew Devlin (Alexandra
KIRBY,) his granddaughters, Ella and Grace, and Margot, his wife
of 40 years. He leaves behind his brother Edgar (Betty), his
sisters, Mary (Haruo
KAWAI,)
Harriet
(Jacob
ENNS) and Margaret
(Sidney TJEPKEMA, his sister-in-law, Vicki
BRODDY, and many nieces,
nephews and life-long Friends. The
son of Emily
(EDGAR) and Lorne
CLARKE,
Alan was born in Stratford, spent his early years in
Sudbury and his childhood and teenage years in Ottawa South.
He graduated from Glebe Collegiate Institute and Victoria College,
University of Toronto with a bachelor's degree in philosophy
and ethics. Alan dedicated his life to social change through
adult education, and community development. He was also a committed
advocate for human rights. In the 1950s he spent several summers
as a labourer/teacher and then supervisor for Frontier College
beginning a lifelong interest in fostering adult literacy. He
worked for ten years with the Young Men's Christian Association
at various branches in Toronto. In 1958 he was the founder and
first director of The Centre for Adult Education at the North
Toronto branch which led to the founding of York University in
1959. From 1960 to 1966 he was Executive Director of the Canadian
Citizenship Council and concurrently, for three years, of the
Canadian Centenary Council. His next challenge was as the first
Executive Director of the Company of Young Canadians, 1966 to
1968. He began a fifteen year tenure at Algonquin College in
1970 as the Director of the Demonstration Project in Community
Development and then as the Director of Continuing Education.
In 1985-86 he was Advisor to the Canadian Emergency Coordinator
for the African Famine. The last ten years of his formal working
career were as Communications Advisor for the International Joint
Commission. Throughout his working life and as a volunteer in
retirement, Alan worked with many local, national and international
organizations, contributing, among others, to Project 4000, the
Movement for Canadian Literacy, and the United Nations Association
in Canada. He was a contributing author to 'Strong and Free:
a Response to the War Measures Act', in 1970. Alan's family would
like to express a great debt of thanks to the 3rd and 4th floor
staff at the North York Seniors Health Centre, especially Lidia
and Mary-Helene. The family would also like to thank Estelle
REED for the love and care she provided in Alan's last years.
A memorial service celebrating Alan's life and legacy will be
held in Ottawa at the First Unitarian Congregation, 30 Cleary
Avenue, on Sunday June 17, at 3: 30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations
may be made in Alan's memory to the Parkinson Society of Ottawa,
1053 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, K1Y 4E9.
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