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Update: Celebration of life for Frances Clark

Richmond Centre for Disability Frances Clark passed away in her sleep in her home last Thursday night

A celebration of life for Frances Clark is being held Wednesday, May 6 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Richmond Curling Club.

In lieu of flowers, people can make a donation to the Richmond Centre for Disability (RCD) at rcdrichmond.org.

Clark

*She may not have been everyone’s “cup of tea,” but she certainly ruffled the right feathers when it came to championing the cause of the disability movement in Richmond during her 80 years of life.

Frances Clark — one of the founders of the Richmond Centre for Disability (RCD) which, ironically, kicked off its 30th birthday celebrations this week — passed away in her sleep at her Railway Avenue home Thursday night at around 10:30 p.m.

Clark, who turned 80 last month, had broken her leg recently and had been housebound ever since.

She had been battling ill health for some time and was surrounded by close friends when her time came.

Clark was honoured nationally in March 2014 for a lifetime of volunteering at the Prime Minister's Volunteer Awards.

Clark spent more than six decades volunteering in Richmond and was instrumental in establishing RCD; Caring Place and the Richmond Therapeutic Equestrian Society.

At the time of the Prime Minister’s award, Clark said, "Volunteering is something you don't do alone. You may lead and push to achieve a goal but it's always done with others to make it happen. No one volunteer can take credit for everything."

As news of Clark’s passing started to ripple around Richmond, Mayor Malcolm Brodie paid tribute to a “tireless advocate” who was a “pioneer on many things in Richmond.”

“She had to have a very special set of skills to do what she did and she will have passed that onto many younger people in Richmond.

“One of the very many things she managed to achieve was being able to get people to look beyond disabilities and focus on their abilities instead.”

clark

Brodie recalled first coming into contact with Clark while she was president of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce in the early 1980s.

Ella Huang, RCD’s executive director, told how Clark was an “amazing mentor” to her, after being interviewed by her for the development facilitator role  at RCD back in 2001.

“I spoke with Frances at her home just yesterday (Thursday) and she was drifting in and out of consciousness,” said Huang.

“But she was able to acknowledge that RCD was celebrating 30 years this week. I think she was very proud of that.

“She wasn’t just a amazing mentor to me though, she was a great mentor to everyone around her.”

Born with brittle-bone disease, Clark spent most of her life in a wheelchair.

She started volunteering in her late teens as a means of participating in the community, since during that time she was often excluded from society (she wasn't allowed to attend public school because of her disability).

"I was not a party person, I loved meetings and being involved in organizing things,” she told the News last year.

“I basically enjoyed that it was challenging to me. Because I was never expected to get anywhere in life you have a different perspective on things."

She became a passionate dog lover and worked with non-profit animal organizations. She turned that love into founding the Western Federation of Individuals and Dog Organizations (FIDO), which sought to establish responsible pet ownership guidelines. In the 1970s she helped eliminate no-pet policies in BC social housing units. Her love of animals led her to establish a kennel on No. 5 Road, where she worked for 24 years to pay the bills.

Clark was also an instrumental member of the Richmond Chamber of Commerce. She said one of her more instrumental achievements was in 1994 when she helped establish Caring Place, which now houses 22 non-profit groups.

"That one I knew I made a difference because I didn't quit," said Clark.

She said Richmond is a great community for volunteering, noting it's not a given in most communities that such a robust partnership exists between citizens, organizations and their respective city hall.

Huang said a celebration of Clark’s life is being planned, with a date and time yet to be set.