Obituary of Reeva Elizabeth Clark

Reeva Elizabeth Clark, of Elk Creek Road, Delhi, passed away peacefully at home on November 14, 2024, just five days before her 101^st birthday.

Born in Brooklyn, NY,  Reeva was the daughter of Ruth John and Harry Van Scoy Lawrence.  When Reeva was just a year old, Harry died very suddenly.  Reeva and her mother remained in Richmond Hill, Queens throughout her childhood. 

Reeva was an honors student at John Adams High School, graduating in January 1941, a half-year early.  She was known as the “nicest and quietest” of her classmates.  She then entered the Scudder Secretarial School in New York City. After graduating, Reeva worked for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in New York City.

Reeva met her first husband, John “Jack” Curley, in 1939, at the  local church league basketball games. They were married in October, 1942.  Two weeks after their wedding, Jack received his draft notice and he served in the army until November 1945. Their first daughter, Reeva, arrived while Jack was stationed overseas.

Upon Jack's return, he joined the New York City Police Department, becoming a mounted policeman.  The young couple welcomed two more children, Glenn and Jane, and built a home in Bayside, Queens. 

In 1953, Reeva and Jack realized a long cherished dream: they bought a dairy farm in Delhi, NY, and moved to the country to begin a new adventure together.   David and Lynne joined the family soon after.

Unfortunately, their time on the farm ended after just five years, when Jack suffered a fatal stroke, at the age of forty-one.  Widowed at age thirty-four, with five children, Reeva had to sell the farm.  Raised in the city, she had never acquired a driver's license, so she moved the family to the village of Delhi.  She began to work as a secretary at SUNY Delhi.   

Now a single mother, Reeva did her best to foster her children's interests and abilities.  Fortunately, her mother, Ruth Lawrence, had  lived with the family throughout Reeva's marriage, and she provided vital support.  So there were regular homemade meals, bicycles, music lessons, cats and dogs, dolls, sewing projects, needle crafts, model airplanes, Little League baseball, a bowling set for the front hall, and even a junk car in the yard for the neighborhood boys to tinker.  And she passed her driver's test! Seven years went by.

In 1965, Reeva met her second husband, David Clark, again in church, Their eyes met when Dave collected the offering at the pew where she was sitting in the First Presbyterian Church.  Their first date was in September, and they were married in December of that year.

After the wedding, Reeva and her four children still at home moved to Dave's house on Elk Creek Road. Dave ran an excavating business, with long hours and complex problems to solve, but she managed to adapt to the demands of her new situation and did her best to support everyone.

Dave had a tireless sense of humor, and their years together were filled with laughter and the pursuit of a life lived to the fullest.  Reeva learned to enjoy sleeping in a leanto as long as the weather would allow it.  She came to know travel camping by car or in an open pickup truck.  She organized boat camping trips on Lake George and other waterways.  These trips usually involved her  children and any number of hungry friends, other couples or families. Many happy memories.

Reeva retired from SUNY Delhi in 1978.  She then helped care for her grandchildren, ran support for Dave, and taught piano lessons.

She avidly pursued her interest in sewing and needle crafts, always working on clothing, pictures, linens, and quilts. Having played the piano her whole life, Reeva began to play the organ and accordion.  She also joined Dave in roller skating, something he had loved for years.  There were no dull moments.

Reeva was a devout Christian, with an abiding faith in the power of God.  In the early 1970s, she and Dave joined the fellowship of the Tabernacle of the Congregation. Reeva participated in the musical life of the church as a keyboard player and composer of music for praise. She and Dave participated in many church activities and developed deep lifelong friendships.

As Reeva was described in high school, she continued to be known as the “nicest and quietest” of persons.  Her warmth and insights were a gift to those who knew her.  People might have been howling at Dave's pranks, but they adored Reeva as well. She set an outstanding example of modesty, charity, and commitment to principle.

Dave and Reeva were able to remain at home, independent, until his death in 2022.  Although Reeva missed Dave terribly, she showed great strength in the remaining two and a half years.  She maintained a regular schedule of meals and medications, cat care, television favorites, puzzles, devotions, and a running steno pad commentary on the life of Elk Creek.  Her secret to long life was definitely three servings of Fudge Swirl ice cream each day! She will be sorely missed.

Reeva was predeceased by her parents, her husbands, granddaughter Abby Borow Ezero and  grandson James Alden “Jack” Curley.

She is survived by her children  Reeva (Victor) Bellard, Glenn Curley, Jane (Harold Eustis) Curley, David (Kathleen) Curley, and Lynne (Robert) Borow:  She will be fondly remembered by grandchildren Sarah (Carl) Chapman, David (Melissa) Bellard, Emily (Juan) Levy-Espierd, Colin Eustis (Chelsea Champlin), Elizabeth (Richard) Nevin, Deborah (David) Such, and Dianna (Rich) DePonto, and thirtee   great grandchildren.  Reeva is also survived by her brother-in-law Peter (Lauren) Clark as well as several nieces, nephews and family. 

Reeva's family wishes to thank the staff of Helios Care for their support during Reeva's last days.

A celebration of Reeva’s life will be held at 2PM on Saturday November 23, 2024 at the Tabernacle of the Congregation, 5673 State Route 28, Franklin, NY, Private burial will be at Woodland Cemetery, Delhi, NY

Please visit www.macarthurfh.com to share a condolence with Reeva’s family.