Patricia Ann Clark, 1945 – 2026
Patricia Ann Clark died on June 1, 2026, at home in Waitsfield with her family after a long battle with cancer. She was born August 22, 1945, in Hudson, New York, to James and Helena Francis. She graduated from Fultonville High School in 1963 and married Dewey Darrow in August 1965. They had four children: James, Julie, Michele, and Todd, before moving to Vermont in the early 1980s.
Pat joined the Mad River Valley Ambulance Service in 1981, a volunteer position she held for 28 years, advancing in her training and qualifications from an EMT to an EMT-D. She served twice as president of the organization, three times as training officer, once as treasurer and three times as Advanced Life Support officer.
She excelled at patient care and was reported to be the only member of the service who could start an IV at 80 mph on the highway. When she retired from the service, Mad River 7, her call number, was also retired.
Pat joined The Valley Reporter in 1981 as a typesetter and progressively advanced over her 45-year career at the paper. As technology changed, her duties and skills changed. She took over accounting and finances, becoming general manager and eventually succeeding the late Al Benjamin as publisher in 2000. When he died in 2015, she became president and co-owner of the paper, serving until this spring.
Pat and David prioritized family and extended family. Holiday celebrations were extravagant and inclusive, and family camping trips were sprawling and fun affairs taking place all over Vermont in tents, soft-sided campers, and, later, larger campers and RVs.
Pat had twelve grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. She knew the birthdays of each one. An avid quilter and weaver, she created quilts, blankets, sweaters, and scarves for family and friends until shortly before she died.
Pat loved dogs, especially border collies. She and David always had at least one border collie and often a second mixed-breed dog, too. A firm and successful trainer, she pioneered bringing dogs to work years before it became part of regular office culture. For many years, she and David had horses and rode regularly. Until this winter, they walked their dogs daily in the early morning hours.
She is survived by her husband, David Clark, and her children James (Tina) Darrow, Julie Darrow, Michele (Aaron) Fay, and Todd Darrow (Heidi Pierce); her grandchildren Tyler, Andrew, Amber, Ashlie, Jacob, Ethan, Grason, Tegan, Kody, Chris, Nick, Kayla and eight great-grandchildren. Additionally, she is survived by her brother James Francis, his wife Bonnie, and their family, her brother-in-law Tom Clark, his wife Leigh, and their family. She was predeceased by her parents as well as paternal and maternal aunts and uncles.
Her family thanked the UVM Oncology Department and the hospice team at Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice for their support and care.
Funeral services are private, and the family requests privacy at this time.
Donations in her name can be made to MRVAS or CVHHH.
