Dorothy Elwyn Brown Clark, 94, died peacefully at Evergreen Woods, North Branford, on May 25 surrounded by her family. She is survived by her daughter Margaret Clark, her son-in-law Mark Rupert, and her granddaughter Anna Clark Rupert, her daughter Nancy Clark, and her niece, Ann McDonald. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 69½ years, James G. Clark.
Dorothy Clark was born in Mt. Vernon, New York, on October 10, 1923, to Cuthburt and Florence (Coles) Brown. She graduated from House in the Pines, a college preparatory school in Norton, Massachusetts in 1940, and Pine Manor Junior College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, in 1942; she received an A.B. cum laude from Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont, in 1944 with a major in French and a minor in Spanish. This strong language background led to her work as a cryptanalyst in the Military Intelligence Division of the War Department during World War II. Later she earned an M.S. in education from the University of Bridgeport.
In 1965, Dorothy began teaching French at Darien High School, Darien, where she remained until she retired in 1986, a career that she found stimulating and rewarding both personally and professionally. She was a creative teacher who enjoyed sharing her love of French language, literature, history, and culture with her students.
After moving to Evergreen Woods with Jim in 1993, Dorothy started a French Conversation Group and led a water exercise class. She was active in the Marketing, Pool, and Elder Concert Committees, as well as the Resident Council of which she was president in 1999.
Dorothy’s curiosity, independence, and love of traveling, language, art, dance, music, nature, and walking greatly enriched the lives of her family and friends. She was a loving wife who cherished her family and delighted in their activities and accomplishments.
Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, please make tax-deductible contributions in honor of Dorothy Clark to Elder Concerts, Inc., Box 154, 88 Notch Hill Rd., North Branford, CT 06471.
Arrangements in the care of the Guilford Funeral Home, Inc. 115 Church St., Guilford. To share a memory or leave a message of condolence for the family, please visit www.GuilfordFuneralHome.com.
