Alison ‘Bunty’ Clarke
Alison Beatrice Clarke, “Bunty,” was surrounded by her loved ones, as she passed away on Friday, July 6, 2012 at the age of 81. Alison was born on October 10, 1930 in Paris, France, where she lived until the age of 6 and then moved to Marion, Pa. and lived on the Main Line until 1969, when she moved her family to Hollister, Calif.
During Alison’s adult years in the Philadelphia area, she was first and foremost a most wonderful, loving mother and also a kind and caring volunteer who put young children at ease at the West Chester, Dental Clinic. In California, Alison became very involved with raising horses and organizing English horse shows in the Hollister area. She was an avid gardener and for many years she entered her flowers in the San Benito County Fair and frequently won first place.
In 1986, Alison moved back to the East Coast, to Long Beach Island, N.J. where she spent twenty years living with her older sister. Alison spent the last six years living with her daughter and her grandchildren in Dallas. Her sister, Audrey Shaw Pickard, her son, Peter Sackville Pickard and her grandson, Nicolas Peter Clarke Duffell, preceded her in death.
She leaves behind her sister, Cynthia Anne Clarke, three children; two daughters Lisa Alma Lavagnino and her husband, John Anthony Lavagnino, of California, Audrey Daphne Duffell, of Dallas and her son Winthrop Sackville Pickard and his wife, Michelle Poirier-Pickard of California. “Bunty” adored her seven grandchildren, Earl Lavagnino, of Iowa, Alexandra, Sebastian, Dominic Duffell, of Dallas and Alison Lavagnino, Benjamin and Jack Pickard of California.
Her family would like to extend a very special thank you to the 7th floor nurses station on the Stroke unit at Zale-Lipshey, UT Southwestern for the love and kindness they showed during such a difficult time. We would especially like to thank the nurse practitioner, Dory Muhitch, and our guardian angel, Diane.
A celebration of her life will be held on Friday, October 12, 2012 at 4 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church of Dallas. Donations may be made in her name to the US Equestrian Foundation or the Vanguard School, Paoli, Pa, www.vanguardschool-pa.org.
