Sally H. Clark

Sally Hankinson Clark departed this life on July 29, 2023. She was 81. She began her journey on May 23, 1942 in the Atacama Desert in Chuquicamata, Chile and was the second of four children born to George and Elizabeth Hankinson. She grew up in Chile, New Mexico, and New Jersey.

Sally attended college at the University of Colorado where she pursued a nursing degree. While home in New Mexico during a summer vacation from school, she met Robert “Bob” Clark, and the two began dating. She married Bob on October 27, 1962 and remained his loving wife until his death in 2021. They began married life in Simms, Montana where she worked as a nurse until their first child, Margaret, was born in 1963. Soon after, in 1966, Tom was born. The family lived in Great Falls and then Butte, Montana. They moved to Sahuarita, Arizona in 1969 where their third and fourth children, John and Susannah, arrived in 1971 and 1976. In 1977, she and her family moved to the Denver area where she lived for the rest of her life.

She dedicated her life to her family and raising her children and took part in their activities from scouts to 4-H to sporting events and school activities. She ensured that her children had every need met and had the values and education to become successful.

Sally began a career with the Cherry Creek School District in 1982 and retired from the district in 2010. She worked primarily at Eaglecrest High School where she was loved by students and faculty and staff alike. She helped many students navigate the college admission process and provided practical career guidance as well. She remained close with many of the staff and students until her later years and talked fondly of her time there.

Sally had a lifelong love of music, especially opera. She was active for many years in Opera Colorado and attended operas and other musical shows regularly in the Denver area. She attended operas in several well-known opera houses around the world as well, including in New York City, Buenos Aires, Vienna, and Prague. She also had a passion for literature and was a voracious reader her entire life. She loved to write and even published a few novels, including her favorite, “Old Miguel.”

She enjoyed travelling and visited many states and countries, including Chile, Paraguay, Argentina, Mexico, Scotland, the Czech Republic, Austria, South Korea and China. She was even able to visit her hometown while in Chile. She loved social events, visiting with friends and family, and meeting new friends. She was always excited to take part in an event whether it be her book club, a gala, or a family gathering. She was also a devout Christian who enjoyed attending church services and events. She took great comfort in her chaplain at the end of her life.

Sally will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, sister, friend, confidant, and mentor. She will be dearly missed, but she is now reunited with her loving husband, Bob, her parents, and her brother Christopher. She is survived by her children, Margaret Vellar, Thomas Clark, John Clark, and Susannah Clark, and her siblings Robin Hankinson and Peter Hankinson.

A funeral service will be held at Fort Logan National Cemetery, 4400 W. Kenyon Ave, Denver on Thursday, September 14th at 10:00 am (details to follow on exact location of service). A Celebration of Life will follow the service at Maggiano’s Little Italy, 7401 S. Clinton Street, Englewood, CO 80112 from 11:00 to 1:00.