Jeffrey David

Clarke

Jeffrey David Clarke

Jeffrey David Clarke, 74, passed away on Sunday, October 25, 2026.

Jeff was born on July 30, 1952, in Towson, Maryland, to David and Nancy Clarke. After graduating from Towson High School in 1970, he attended Towson State College (Towson University), earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business in 1974. During his college career, he was a member of the men's lacrosse team and served as a captain of the 1974 National Championship team. Continuing to follow his passion for education and athletics, he went on to earn a Master's Degree in Education from Loyola University.

In 1973, Jeff met Evelyn (Carter) Clarke at Towson State College (Towson University) where their story began. They were married on August 19, 1978 and built a life centered on family, raising two daughters, Jennifer Kavanagh (John Kavanagh) and Michelle Roark (Michael Roark). Jeff was an incredible husband and father who created a home filled with love, laughter, encouragement and unwavering support. He shared his passion for athletics with both Jen and Michelle, coaching recreational basketball and lacrosse for more than a decade and spending countless hours on the sidelines watching volleyball matches. He always hoped that one of his daughters would play collegiate lacrosse…Sorry Dad, volleyball is life!

Jeff went on to build a meaningful career in education, where he combined his passion for teaching with his love of athletics. After graduating from Towson State College (Towson University), he began his teaching career at St. Joseph’s School Cockeysville, where he taught Junior High School followed by Business Law and Business Management at Calvert Hall College. Jeff then returned to his alma mater, beginning a distinguished 23 year career as the Assistant Men’s Lacrosse Coach at Towson University alongside his former coach and mentor, Carl Runk. During his tenure at Towson University, Jeff coached 60 All-American players, 8 NCAA playoff teams, and the 1991 NCAA Final Four team. His accomplishments on the field and his lasting contributions to the program earned him induction into the Towson University Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach. In addition to coaching at Towson University, he was the founder of the Loch Raven Summer Lacrosse League which supported local player development.

Following his retirement from coaching at Towson University, Jeff continued his career at Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School, where he was hired as the Athletic Director. He arrived with a goal of bringing lacrosse to Beth Tfiloh and went on to make a lasting impact on the school's athletic program. During his 21 years, he helped grow the athletic program from 18 to 43 teams, including the introduction and development of lacrosse. He also played an important role as the director of the Sunday Sports program which included soccer, basketball and lacrosse. He retired from Beth Tfiloh in 2020, and then in 2022, Jeff was inducted into the Beth Tfiloh Hall of Fame.

Throughout his career, Jeff spoke with tremendous pride about his teammates, players and colleagues. For him, coaching was about so much more than championships; it was about the experiences and relationships. He believed in making every player feel included and valued. He took pride not only in developing athletes, but also in building confidence, instilling character and making a lasting impact on the lives of those he coached.

While his accomplishments in athletics and education were many, his greatest legacy will always be his integrity and unwavering love and devotion to his family.

One of Jeff's greatest joys was being a grandfather to Carter, Brynn, Eva, Rielyn, and Lynn, who lovingly knew him as their "Pa Pa Pa." He cherished each of them and took great pride in following their individual passions and activities, whether it was soccer, basketball, swimming, lacrosse, horseback riding, singing or theatre. He loved cheering them on and celebrating their accomplishments!

Jeff was preceded in death by his parents, David and Nancy Clarke; his brother, Donald Clarke; and his sister, Joanna Smith.

A celebration of life will be held Sunday, November 22nd from 12:00 - 3:00 pm at Conrad’s Seafood Restaurant located at 9629 Belair Rd Nottingham MD 21236.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Beth Tfiloh Athletic Fund or Towson University Lacrosse Donation Fund.