COOPERSTOWN - Benjamin Harris Clark, a native of Cooperstown who resided in Jupiter, Florida, and was employed as the Broadcast Manager for Prestige Cruise Lines on their ship "Marina", died unexpectedly of natural causes on Wednesday, October 9, 2013, while in port in Barcelona, Spain. The son of Robert J. Clark and the late Sandra Goddard Clark, Ben was 43 years old.
Ben was born in Cooperstown and lived there through his Junior High School years. He then moved to Jupiter, Florida, where he graduated from Jupiter High School. He went on to receive an Associate of Arts Degree from Palm Beach Gardens Community College and an Associate of Arts Degree in Video Production from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.
Ben worked as a Broadcast Manager in the cruise line industry for sixteen years. During this time Ben traveled to all corners of the world, exploring places that most of us could only dream of and touching the lives of many in the process. He was known to his many friends all over the world as "Big or Gentle Ben", which clearly reflected his gentle warmth and caring personality. Ben was an excellent amateur photographer who documented his travels and the friendships he forged through his pictures, sharing his journeys with his many friends and family online.
Even when Ben was not aboard ship he loved to travel, crisscrossing the country during his time off visiting friends and family. He had a special love for Walt Disney World where he worked for a period of time in his twenties, and he often returned there to spend time with these friends.
Ben was predeceased by his mother, Sandra, and grandparents Betsy and John Goddard, and Lillian and Harris Clark.
Ben is survived by his father, Robert, and his partner Deni Wicks; his brother Stephen Clark and his wife, Arleen; his sister Karen Breitkreuz; his aunts and uncles, Carol Hanlon, Gail Daly and her husband, George, Ben Goddard and his wife, Lynn, Lucille Roberts, and Joan Clark; his cousins Linda Pokorny, Joan Mahoney and her husband, Tad, Joyce Boyd and her husband, Spike, Gordon Clark and his wife, Nancy, Karen Moakler and her partner, Jim, Alan Clark and his wife, Alina, Cynthia Minkiewicz, Bradley Clark, Jim Clark and his wife, Diane, Jeff Daly and his wife, Shelly, Brian Goddard, Katherine Goodison, Julie Ray, and Don Roberts; and second cousins Jennifer Mickle and her husband, Ron, Brian Pokorny and his wife, Susan, Mike Pokorny and his wife, Maggie, Shawn Pokorny, Shannon Mahoney, Shaun Mahoney, Suzanne and Jackie Clark, Alan and Mitchell Clark, Lauren and Josh Daly.
Family and friends are invited to calling hours on Saturday, October 26, 2013, from 11-1 p.m., followed by a service to celebrate Ben's life, at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown
In lieu of flowers, Ben's family suggests that memorial gifts be directed to The SPCA of the Treasure Coast, 1008 NE Jensen Beach Blvd., Jensen Beach, FL 34957 or to The Susquehanna SPCA, 4841 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, NY 13326.
Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.
If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.
