Concetta (Connie) Clarke Of Sag Harbor Dies May 28

Concetta (Connie) Clarke passed away peacefully at home on Jefferson Street in Sag Harbor on Saturday May 28th, just short of her 98th birthday.

Connie was born on June 17, 1924 to Salvatore and Frances D’amato in New York City, where they settled after immigrating from Palermo, Sicily. Eight years later in 1932, with the family then-living in Chicago, she accompanied her father back to New York to prepare a new home for the later arrival of her mother and siblings.

She graduated from Julia Richman High School in 1942, and went on to the Katherine Gibbs School, where her skills, intelligence, and presence led to a coveted secretarial position at Life magazine.

There, for ten-plus years, she worked alongside Life’s legendary writers, editors and photographers, taking on greater responsibilities and making increasing contributions. During this time Connie discovered her love of traveling abroad. She went on her own, unusual for the time but inevitably met with Life ‘stringers’ along the way. She regaled all with stories of her adventures from that time.

When she left Life in 1956 to marry Peter Clarke (deceased), she took with her wonderful memories and life-long friendships.

Connie and Peter set off for Italy, England, the Caribbean and Naples (Florida), spending long periods of time in each along the way and making friends…even bringing back a personal note from Clementine Churchill.

In 1961, they settled in her beloved Sag Harbor on Jefferson Street, following the Life magazine ex-pats and other literati who ‘discovered’ Sag Harbor in the late 1950’s.

One of her proudest accomplishments was the work she did as the Director of The Bridgehampton Library where she worked from 1964 to 1988. In 1974 she received the NY Library Association Award for distinguished librarianship. Connie started the still popular “Fridays at Five” program. Posters from that program in 1987 feature Peter Matthiesien, Gail Sheehy, John Irving, E.L. Doctorow, Robert Caro and Betty Friedan to name a few. She told stories of riding the LIRR with Elaine Steinbeck. Connie also spent time as a director of the Hampton’s Manhattan School of Music summer

Joy abounded when visitors came through her door, a salon of sorts. She held up her hands, smiled and called-out your name enthusiastically. You were the only one who existed at that point. Her optimism, sense of humor, love and support made a visit with Connie a time to remember.

Connie is survived by her sister, Angelina Lyons of West Islip, and by many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews…And by John Nealon, the grandson of Bessie Hallock of Bridgehampton and her closest friend for fifty-seven years. She is pre-deceased by her husband, Peter, and her siblings - Philip, Mary, Georgia and George.

Connie’s warmth, curious nature, compassion and sense of joy were evident to all who met her, whether a student she met at the library, her friends at the five-and-dime, or the long-time staff at her favorite, The American Hotel. She loved opera, good food, lots of laughs, stimulating conversation, Long Beach and yoga but none more than family and friends.

Those close to her mourn her passing, but celebrate her life and all she shared with them. Her family will miss her greatly and cherish their time together.

She leaves us with the words “I love you more” - her spontaneous response to our “I love you, Connie.”