Rebecca “Becky” Clark, 21, died Friday, Sept. 5. Clark was a part of the Cabrini Cruisers Commuter LC and was set to graduate in 2015 with a major in pharmacy. She also worked with her aunt at Clay’s Bakery (which her aunt owns) for six years.
According to Clark’s aunt, Denise Bones, Clark died on Friday morning at 1:30 a.m. at Blackrock near Lot 60 in Phoenixville. She was there for a bonfire with friends “when a completely dead tree fell on her and killed her instantly.” Police showed up to both her boyfriend’s and mother’s house around 4:30 a.m. to deliver the news about the accident.
“You read all these statuses on Facebook about people who knew her and how they never knew of anyone with so much of a positive effect on everyone she met,” Bones said. “You wanted to be with her [and] around her.”
One of Clark’s friends from Cabrini, Kiera Williams, shared some of her favorite memories with Clark. They met on accepted students day in April 2011 right before they started their freshman year. “I loved Becky dearly. We connected instantly. Our friendships were surrounded by jokes, laughter and honesty. [It was] never a dull moment with Becky” Williams, senior psychology major, said.
One of the things that Williams will always remember about Clark is her laugh. “Becky had the most contagious laugh. I can still here her laugh till this day,” Williams said with a laugh.
Some students from her LC and the science department also held a memorial for Clark on Sept. 9., in the library, after her funeral services. Dr. Sarah Maggitti, director of counseling and psychological services; Richie Gebauer, director of first-year experience; and Michelle Goff, alumnus and the previous master learner for the commuter LC were just a few of the people who came to the memorial to reminisce about Clark. Williams also created a slideshow of Clark and the fun times she had at Cabrini. “It was good seeing old friends from our LC Cabrini Cruisers [and] reconnect and share funny moments about Becky,” Williams said.
When remembering her niece, Bones said, “She wanted to be the best and it took a lot of work. She worked for me at my bakery in Berwyn for 40-hours a week, then a full-time class schedule as a pharmacy major. She made time for everything. She said that it takes time and being there making that connection with family. I literally told her in words all the time how special she was. She took care of her family, was so dedicated to school and being a great sister for Meghan and Katie.” When she thinks about Clark, she thinks “smiles and laughs.”
“She loved life and most importantly loved her family.”
A memorial service will be held for Clark on Oct. 5 during mass at 7 p.m. It will be the one-month anniversary of her death and will be open to the entire Cabrini community.
The family has created a fundraising page to help pay for Clark’s funeral. They are accepting donations.
Memories and comments can be made to Clark’s guestbook.
