Regina C. Clarke (McGovern) of Lake Hopatcong, N.J., died on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, at home. She was 97.
Daughter of Michael and Mary McGovern, she was born on March 20, 1923. She was the youngest of her four sisters, with whom she was very close.
She lived her early years, through college, in Newark, N.J. In 1945, Regina earned her bachelor’s degree in education at Newark State College (now Kean College). She taught elementary school for seven years in Newark School District before starting a family. Later on, when her children were grown, she was a basic skills teacher in the Jefferson Township, N.J., school district.
When Regina was five years old, her parents bought a summer home in Lake Hopatcong and she spent every summer visiting the lake. Regina met her husband, Arthur “Clem,” at the Northwood Pavilion during one of those summers.
On Nov. 17, 1951, Regina married Arthur F. Clarke Jr., and they were married for 53 years. After getting married, they moved to Cedar Grove, N.J., where they raised their boys, Arthur, Michael, and George. They were the most important part of her life, and she was a super mom, making sure her boys made it on time to all their all their various activities. During her time in Cedar Grove, Regina was also a member of St. Catherine’s Church and was an active member of the Rosary Society. She was a devout Catholic with a very strong faith that guided her throughout her entire life.
Regina’s family moved to Babylon, Long Island, in 1966 where her three boys finished their high school education before moving back to New Jersey in 1973.
Regina had a special love for Lake Hopatcong, where she lived virtually all her life. After spending summers there as a child, she became a champion swimmer. Regina and Arthur continued the family tradition by purchasing a summer home at the lake in 1957, introducing their boys to life on the lake. They purchased another home on the lake in 1977 where Regina resided full-time for the last 40-plus years, during which she cherished time with her immediate and extended families. Regina was also an active member of Our Lady Star of the Sea Roman in Jefferson Township, N.J. She was sincerely loved by both her family and her church community.
Predeceasing Regina is her husband, Arthur F. Clarke Jr., two sons, George J. Clarke and Arthur F. Clarke III; and four sisters, Alice Costello, Jane Drudy, Margaret McCammond, and Bernadette Stoeckel.
She is survived by her son Michael J. Clarke; daughter-in-law Carol A. Clarke; granddaughter Kelly A. Clarke; grandsons, Brian M. Clarke and Jonathan P. Clarke; and a long line of nieces, nephews, and their children. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the National MS Society or NAMI.