Jane Nina Clarke (nee Alfano) of Huntingtown, Maryland passed away on October 9th, 2020. She was born in York, Pennsylvania to Nina and Nicolas Alfano on June 10th, 1929.
Jane graduated from York County High School in York, Pennsylvania. Jane loved to sing and earned a college degree in Music from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland. After graduation, she tried out and earned a competitive spot as a professional soprano singer in the world famous Robert Shaw Chorale. Jane traveled the world as a member of this world renowned troupe for several years before meeting and marrying the love of her life, Frank Duval Clarke and having two sons: Frank Christopher Clarke and Timothy Paul Clarke.
She taught elementary school at St. John’s Catholic school in Clinton, Maryland as well as several other schools in the Prince George’s County Public School System. She was a devout Catholic, and a parishioner at St. John Church in Clinton, Maryland, St. Philip the Apostle Church in Camp Springs, Maryland (where her husband served as a deacon) and Jesus the Divine Word Catholic Church in Huntingtown, Maryland.
After retiring from teaching, Jane worked several years at the Naval Research Lab in Southwest, Washington, DC. When she became a grandmother, Jane devoted much of her time and energy to her grandchildren, who have always affectionately referred to her as their “Nana.” She was an avid gardener, and created beautiful flower gardens along with beautiful memories in the lives of the people she touched. Jane was a lifelong learner with a kind and generous spirit. She volunteered her time at church as well as the local elementary school, long after her grandchildren graduated. She was given the Volunteer of the Year Award twice at Huntingtown Elementary school, including this past year. Jane is predeceased by her husband, Frank Duval Clarke and her two sons, Frank Christopher Clarke, and Timothy Paul Clarke. She is survived by her five grandchildren: Zoe, Nina, Nicolas, and Lora Clarke and Morgan Mundrick; her sister, Madeline Winter; niece, Nina Salathe and nephew Vaughn Winter.
Visitation and viewing will be held on Friday, October 16th, 2020 at 10:00 am with a funeral mass at 11:00 am at Jesus the Divine Word Catholic Church in Huntingtown, Maryland. Interment will immediately follow at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton, Maryland.
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