Wed 21 Mar 2012 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
In a funeral service which was by turns deeply emotional and light-hearted a noted ground-breaking openly gay Presbyterian minister was farewelled this afternoon by his family, his parish and his glbti friends. The Reverend David Clark hit the national headlines when he came out in 1991 to confront the Presbyterian Assembly as it debated the still-vexed issue of gay people in the church. He was remembered today as a man of strong character and convictions who experienced much joy and considerable pain in life. Clark's compassion for others and determination to uncompromisingly live his own life openly as a gay man in the service of his God were lauded during the service which he planned down to the smallest detail such as ensuring there was Blu-Tac attaching his rainbow-patterned stole to his casket. His love of good whiskey, fine food and classical music were noted along with his "spiritual and mystical side," an earthy sense of humour and his superb liturgical skills. In a service which packed out St Lukes church, Remuera so that many mourners had to be accommodated in an annex Clark was farewelled by family members including his brother Rod, sister Marylyn and her family and his ex-wife Jenny. Lesbian minister Margaret Mayman of Wellington, members of the gay Auckland Community Church and a gay couple, food writer Michael Hooper and his partner Chris, for whom Clark had conducted a Civil Union service were also present. In prominent position was a section of the national HIV Quilt to acknowledge Clark's care for some of the hundreds of men who died from HIV and AIDS in the early years of the epidemic. Amongst those men was John 'Noddy' Eade who died in 1991 and a panel icomemorating Eade and his partner Rudy Ten Have was part of the quilt section displayed. David Clark was 65 and died last Tuesday after a long struggle with heart disease. Although, with his health deteriorating, he had been kept company in recent weeks by a succession of friends and parishoners he died alone in his home last Tuesday. You can discuss this New Zealand gay community news story in the GayNZ.com Forum.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 21st March 2012 - 8:01pm