A memorial service for Chapin D. Clark, retired University professor and law school dean, will be held at 2 p.m. Oct. 13 at Beall Concert Hall.
Clark died Friday during a guided fishing trip on the Rogue River when the drift boat he was in hit a rock, causing him and several of the other passengers to fall overboard. He was 71.
He began teaching at the University School of Law in 1962. He became a professor emeritus in 1991, the year before he retired. His colleagues describe him as a great contributor to the community and to the University’s legal resources.
“He was instrumental in changing this from a traditional state law school to one of national dimensions,” law Professor
Dominick Vetri said.
“He was a friendly, warm, comfortable person to deal with,” Vetri said. “He was extremely intelligent and witty.”
Clark, who practiced environmental law and specialized in policies dealing with water resources, helped found the Ocean and Coastal Law program and worked to create advanced environmental courses.
Vetri said Clark was responsible for guiding the law school through a difficult financial period when he served as dean from 1974 to 1980.
In 1986, the University honored Clark with the Charles Johnson Memorial Award.
Vetri said Clark earned the award because of his commitment and willingness to stand up for issues such as free speech and
as academic freedom.
The well-known former dean officially retired in 1992, but came back to teach part-time until 1995.
“Virtually every lawyer in the state knows his name,” Vetri said.
As an active member of the American Bar Association, Clark helped the law school several years ago when the number of University law graduates passing the bar dipped, colleagues said. He headed a committee to develop a plan of action and write a report.
Law Professor Jim Mooney said professors analyzed the report to structure new tutoring programs. Mooney said these programs were responsible for increasing student scores on the bar exam by as much as 10 or 20 percent.
Clark helped students while he pioneered new programs for the law school.
“We always had him in mind as a great source for this institution,” Vetri said, “and it’s a great loss that he’s gone.”
Mooney agreed.
“I never heard anyone say a bad word about Chapin Clark,” Mooney said. “He was one of those people that everyone liked and respected, and that’s rare. That’s rare.”
Clark is survived by his wife, Dorothy, and two children, Juliakay and Jeffrey.
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