Colleagues,
It is with great sadness that I write to inform you of the passing of Dr. Neville Clarke on February 11. He was a man who was passionate about serving others, and in doing so, envisioned many premier programs that will serve Texas A&M AgriLife and the world for years to come.
Since 1975, Clarke held several positions at Texas A&M AgriLife, including director of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, now Texas A&M AgriLife Research, and as special assistant to the vice chancellor for agriculture and life sciences. He also was the founding director of the Innovation Lab for Small Scale Irrigation; the first leader of the National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense, now the Institute for Infectious Animal Diseases; and instrumental in creating the Agricultural and Food Policy Center. During his career at Texas A&M, he held numerous other roles in key organizations for advancing agriculture, veterinary medicine, food security and rural development.
A graduate of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, he spent his life maximizing impact at the intersections of medicine, health, security, agriculture and natural resources. His life was exemplified by service — including in his decorated career with the U.S. Air Force, from which he retired as a colonel before joining Texas A&M AgriLife.
Dr. Clarke’s unwavering dedication to service makes him one of the most influential Aggies at Texas A&M. He will be greatly missed by many in agriculture and life sciences, but also in every field that felt his impact.
A visitation and fellowship gathering will be held Wednesday, February 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Hillier Funeral Home in Bryan, Texas. Funeral services will be held on February 24 at 11 a.m. at Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church in downtown Bryan, Texas.
A symposium to reflect on the impact of Dr. Clarke’s leadership is being planned by Texas A&M AgriLife for April 2022. We will share information on the event soon.
Please share this with those who may have worked with or remember Dr. Clarke.
Thank you,
Mark A. Hussey
Interim Vice Chancellor and Dean, Agriculture and Life Sciences
