Pauline Clark

Pauline Agnes Novak who was born to Nicholas F. Novak and Helen A. Lamb on October 11, 1940 in Jersey City, NJ, passed away peacefully at her home in Boulder, CO on September 6, 2024. She lived 84 good years before succumbing to complications of scoliosis, and heart failure.

Pauline grew up in Jersey City and Allenhurst on the Jersey shore, giving her enduring love of city-life and of the sea. As a student at Red Bank Catholic High, she gained a local reputation as a budding musical comedy star and contemplated a career on Broadway. She was also a brilliant student and turned to academics, attending Immaculata College and receiving a cum laude BA degree in 1962 in English with minors in Education & Economics. She then started a multi-faceted professional career of public service as a high school English teacher at nearby Haverford High School.

After two years of teaching she decided to pursue an MA in English Literature, moving to Cleveland and to John Carroll University. There met Noel, also a graduate student at Carroll, and in 1966 they were married, and moved to Cambridge, MA, where they spent the next 12 years. With Noel as a graduate student at MIT, Pauline taught English composition at Northeastern University, University of Massachusetts, and Fisher Junior College to support the growing family with the birth of Caitlin (1967), Ian (1970), and Maura (1971). Pauline ultimately decided that academics were not her cup of tea, and

became more and more involved in the Cambridgeport community, taking a job as a program developer in the Cambridge School Department. In this role was co-creator of its beloved Adult Diploma Program (ADP), which enabled adults, mostly seniors, to earn Cambridge High and Latin School diplomas on the basis of their life experience. In 1975 she and Noel became the parent leader of Tot Lot (Cambridgeport Children's Center), a local child care play group, which served to launch Pauline's next career, in nonprofit development. As Parent Coordinator her proposal successfully solicited construction funds to turn an abandoned neighborhood building into a fully-functional child care center, now about to celebrate its 50th anniversary.

In 1977 Noel took a faculty job at CU Boulder and Noel, Pauline, and crew moved to Colorado. Soon after, Pauline was bitten by the Boulder bug and began running, participating in the Bolder Boulder all of her early years here. Pauline first tried to get Colorado School Districts interested in the ADP without much success, but then spent several years as the Development Director of Channel 12 KBDI, then a new CO public television station, and served as Board President of San Juan Family Learning Center in

Boulder for two years. She loved Colorado but the sea was always a must, so there were frequent visits to beaches from Maine to Florida, many stays on Cape Cod, and two summers spent on the Atlantic coast of France. Her next professional challenge was the manifestation of the Hall of Life (HL). In 1980 Pauline was hired as first HL Executive Director, when it comprised its Board of Founders, startup funding, and the large, empty, 10,000 sq.ft., rent-free southern half of the ground floor of the Anthem Blue Cross

building in Denver. Pauline was responsible for developing all aspects of the HL operation, designing and implementing its education and outreach programs, hiring the teachers, building tiered classrooms and exhibits with volunteer help, marketing its services, and writing funding proposals. Classes started in 1980 with a few kids sitting on the carpet, but the HL burgeoned with 40,000 K-12 students from front range schools visiting in 1983 for a health-science class or activity. Pauline left the HL in 1984, and in 1985 the Board decided that it would become the health science component of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, moving into 17,000 sq.ft. space there as the Hall of Life. Pauline's last public service endeavor was as Regional Development Director for the Denver office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This job stimulated her interest in architecture and interior design, and by 1987 she was an entrepreneur, owner of Denver Design Works, designing custom furniture and manufacturing and showing it in the Denver LODO Design District (all before Coors field). This activity eventually settled on selling modern southwest style in her gallery Soho West on Wazee St., which she kept until 1993, when she retired following a robbery attempt. In the 1990s she traveled widely, spending extended time in Japan, and visiting Greece, India, Egypt, and Europe as opportunities presented themselves, and working part-time helping her daughter, Caitlin, grow her catering business, New World Cuisine. Her children married, and in 1999 her grandchildren started appearing. First, was Cisco Clark-Silva (1999, Nantucket, MA) & Edwin Clark-Silva (2000, Boulder, CO), the children of Maura Clark. Then Maren E. Zigmond (2003, Broomfield, CO), Teagan G. Zigmond (2006, Denver,CO), children of Caitlin Clark-Zigmond and Joe Zigmond. And Hudson Clark (2013, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA), child of Ian & Chanie Clark.

Across her life, in addition to acting, her interests included being a master gardener, especially of 60+orchids and beautiful garden, a runner (5x Boulder Boulder runner), an amazing chef, a lover of Pilates, a collector and lover of Native American and Southwestern pottery, art, jewelry and rugs, as well as interior & modern design, philanthropist, and most favorite of all a deeply loving and doting grandmother.

Pauline is survived by her sisters Kay Silsby (Charleston, SC), Joanne Dinero (Long Branch, NJ), sister-in-law Mimi Novak (Franklin Lakes, NJ), and brother Nick Novak (Ocean, NJ); husband Noel Clark (Boulder, CO), children Caitlin Clark-Zigmond and her husband Joe Zigmond (Bala Cynwyd, PA), Ian Clark and his wife, Chanie Clark (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA), and the youngest, Maura Clark with her husband Roy Chapin (Napa, CA), and sister-in-law Evelyn Clark (Placitas, NM). She is preceded in death by her parents Nicholas & Helen Novak, sister Mary-Ellen Novak, brother Frank

Novak.

Post cremation, a private service will be held on October 12th in Boulder, CO.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Pauline's honor to either the Children's

Scoliosis Foundation (https://everloved.com/life-of/paulin-clark) or the (San Juan) Family Learning

Center (https://flcboulder.org/you-can-help ).