Ms. Barbara Ann Randall Clark

Obituary For Ms. Barbara Ann Randall Clark

A Memorial Service will be held on July 1, 2026 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 2202 Riverbank Drive, Orangeburg SC, 29118, starting at 11:00 AM. There will be a full Catholic mass at the service. To those of the Catholic faith, communion will be offered.

We celebrate the extraordinary life of Barbara Ann Randall Clark who transitioned on May 28, 2026. She was an accomplished author and poet, skilled counselor and teacher, beloved sister, aunt, and mother who inspired the lives of countless others through her passion for learning and writing. She was 88 years old.

Born in Macon, Georgia on July 18, 1937, Barbara grew up in the shadow of “Jim Crow” in the segregated South. Despite the significant obstacles in her life, she graduated from Ballard-Hudson High School as her class valedictorian and went on to earn her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and Mathematics from Morgan State College (now, University) in 1958. After graduating, she worked as a research chemist for the National Institutes of Health from 1959 to 1966. Marriage took her to Orangeburg, SC, where she taught chemistry at South Carolina State College (now University) from 1966 to 1967. She later completed her Master’s Degree in Counseling and Secondary Education from South Carolina State College.

For more than 30 years, Barbara was an educator, professional counselor, and presenter. Her “Ladybugs” children’s program inspired hundreds of elementary and middle school students in the Orangeburg area to be lifelong learners. She was featured in the 25th edition of Who's Who of American Women and was named South Carolina Counselor of the Year in 1993. Barbara retired from Orangeburg School District 5 in 2000. As a licensed professional counselor, she maintained her affiliation with the South Carolina and National Counselors Associations as an emeritus member. In 2019, she received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award.

Barbara is a 70-year member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She was initiated into the Alpha Gamma chapter in the Spring of 1956 at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. She was extremely active in her sorority, serving in multiple leadership roles as a member of the Orangeburg SC Alumnae Chapter, including as its president from 1977-1979. She also served as Vice President, Editor, Treasurer, Journalist, Undergraduate Advisor, Minerva Circle participant, and chaired many committees. She is a Golden Life Member and recipient of the 75th Delta Diamond Award (1988).

Barbara was actively involved in a number of local groups and organizations including the Risky Women Investment Group (RWIG), the Neferdams Social Group, the SC Counselors Association, and the Orangeburg Red Hatters, serving on committees and in various leadership positions. She was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, served as a member of the Edisto Habitat for Humanity board and made curtains for local Habitat houses, and was board chair for the Orangeburg Disabilities & Special Needs Foundation. Barbara also served on the Orangeburg Literacy Board, performed literacy tutoring, and worked with the Community of Character and the Orangeburg County Council on Aging. Barbara was a lifelong Holy Trinity Catholic Church member for sixty years, serving on several committees, including the Liturgy Committee serving as it's Secretary for many years.

Barbara is the prolific author of 14 books of poetry, prose, children’s literature, and biographies. Her first book, “Reflections” (1982) is a collection of poetry about her family and hometown of Macon, Georgia. She also wrote two biographies including her last book, “Trailblazer” (2014) about her husband, Dr. Carl Oliver Clark, and “Alabama Angel” (1997); five children’s books, (“Booker T: I have a friend, my friend is blind” (1996), “Getting to Ready to Fly” (1997), “K.I.D.S” (2005), “JumpStart” (2007), “If You Can Read” (2011); four more poetry books, “Pieces” (1983), “Impressions” (1988) “Masks!!!” (1993), and “Soul” (2004), and two calendar/affirmation books, “Beams & Bits” (2000) and “Snippets” (2013). She was one of 10 poets invited to read poetry at Piccolo Spoleto in 2002. Her books featured artwork by Leo Twiggs, Donald Jarvis, Sr., Edward Allen, and her son, Bobby Clark.

Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Carl Oliver Clark (2017) and by her daughter, Angela Teresa Clark (2021). She is survived by her son, Carl Robert “Bobby” Clark (Jennifer) and a host of family members, sorority sisters, colleagues, friends, and mentees.

Visitation with the family will be from 6 PM to 7 PM on June 30th at the South Carolina State University Fine Arts Center located at 300 College Street on the school’s campus. Following visitation, the Orangeburg SC Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. will conduct an Omega Omega Service at 7:13 PM (EST). All attendees should be seated by 7:00 PM. The ceremony is open to the public and the attire is semi-formal.

Please send any flowers to Simmons Funeral Home, 2868 Columbia Rd NE, Orangeburg, SC 29118, not directly to the church. A repast will be held after the service in the church hall.

The family will honor Barbara’s wishes and donate her body to science to further Alzheimer's and Parkinson's research. They will have a private ceremony to inter her remains at the Belleville Memorial Gardens (2900 Belleville Road, Orangeburg, SC 29115) at a later date.

After the memorial service, and in lieu of flowers, please consider the following donation options:

(1) Give in memory of Barbara R. Clark to the Morgan State University Foundation, Inc. Make your check payable to “Morgan State University Foundation” and mail it to: Morgan State University Foundation, Inc., P.O. Box 64261, Baltimore, MD 21264-4261 or visit givetomorgan.org/give and select the “Alpha Gamma Endowed Scholarship”.

(2) Donate to support to be directed to the Orangeburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.’s Scholarship program, a cause that was dear to Barbara’s heart.

(3) Donate to the International African American Museum of South Carolina at https://iaamuseum.org/support.

QR codes for all three donation options as well as additional family photos can be found in the photo(s) section of the obituary.

Family and friends may call Simmons Funeral Home and Crematory of Orangeburg.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.simmonsfuneralhome.com

Send flowers to the service of Ms. Barbara Ann Randall Clark