Chip Clark Memoriam

Chip Clark was not a cave diver, but an avid Caver, NSS member, and especially involved in Biospeleology. Here's a copy of what I received via email in memoriam.

All,



Thank you to Fred Grady, Bob Hoke, and Gary Moss for informing us of the unexpected passing of Chip Clark over the weekend. For us oldtimers who had the pleasure of knowing Chip, this is a very sad time indeed. For newer cavers who might not have known of him, I wanted to share some information about this treasure of a person.



Chip was NSS 9037RL(FE), and PSC 302. In addition to being one of the nicest and most modest individuals you will ever meet, he was a world-renowned photographer. He began work at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in 1973 and was working there to this day. He photographed exhibits, collections, artifacts, and just about everything else at the museum.



Over the years, he traveled extensively around the world with Smithsonian and National Geographic scientists, documenting field research in such countries as Peru, Bolivia, India, and Kenya, and in a host of "way-off-the-beaten-path" locations, such as Ellesmere Island.



In addition to the National Geographic Society, he had also done freelance photography for such publishers as the National Wildlife Federation, the publisher of Scientific American, Time-Life Books, and more. His photographs have appeared literally everywhere.



As for photography and caving, he was a contributor to the NSS photography book, On Caves and Cameras, and he shot Mammoth Cave for National Geographic Traveler magazine. He won countless ribbons and "Best of Show" awards at many NSS Photo Salons and at the International Congress of Speleology, and he was a judge for the NSS Photo Salon for innumerable years. In fact, he was scheduled to be a judge for this year's Photo Salon, and a date had already been set for the judges to meet in about a week and a half.



Please feel free to forward this message to any who you think would want to know about this great loss.



Linda Devine





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Katharina Dittmar De La Cruz
North American Biospeleology Newsletter: http://nabn.info

I used to cave with Chip, when I worked for the Smithsonian. He was indeed a great guy, and I will miss him :(

Chip was a friend and always took time out of his day for kids. When ever I asked him, he would do back room tours of the Smithsonian for my children when they were young or the children of friends.

For those wishing to view a posted Memoriam for Chip Clark, log onto www.roskingemnews.com and go to Trade News, or wait for the banner to rotate until you see the feature story.

I had the pleasure of working with Chip the night he and 9 others were testing and photographing the two most important blue diamonds in the world... the Hope, and the Wittelsbach-Graff (currently on display with the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian.) As a gem photographer, he was one of the best. He will be sorely missed by all of us in the gem business, and by those with whom he worked with at the Smithsonian.

Gary Roskin

I received this yesterday

As many of you know, Chip Clark passed away unexpectedly in his home this past weekend. Chip joined our Museum community in 1972 and touched the lives of many people across the Smithsonian during his almost 38 years of service. He had an extraordinary talent for photography, and through his images recorded field expeditions, collections, exhibitions and educational programs. He played a critical role in disseminating our work to millions of people over the years, and his iconic images will no doubt continue to be used by all of us to convey our mission and identity. Those of us who had the fortune of spending some time with him also appreciated his positive attitude and sense of humor.



There will be a private family ceremony on Monday, followed by an open gathering from 3 pm to 5 pm at Fairlington Villages Community Center, 3001 South Abington St., Arlington VA 22206 (http://www.fairlingtonvillages.com/about-maps.html). In lieu of flowers, the family asks for contributions on his behalf to WETA or WAMU (our local PBS television and radio stations) and the National Speleological Society. One of Chip’s favorite programs was NOVA and he listened to NPR radio every morning. He was an avid caver and cave photographer and long standing member of the NSS.



We also plan to hold a memorial in his honor in the fall, once people are back from their field seasons. It will be an opportunity to celebrate his career, stories and accomplishments. We will all miss him very much and extend our condolences to his wife Debbie, his daughter Jessica and to Jennifer Clark. His contributions will live on through the photographs he took, and his insights into our natural world.

I am a cousin of Chip's by marriage. He now lies in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, DC, about 50 feet from Matthew Brady and next to a photojournalist who was killed in the Middle East. He had done work for the Smithsonian at that site and was very fond of it and the staff appeared to be very fond of him.

The reception following the burial was very well attended by both his caving buddies as well as what appeared to be a significant part of the staff of the Smithsonian. He was given very high tributes by members of the staff. And, of course, some of the tales were highly delightful.

Nat Wooding