In Horace Clarke’s heyday, among his outstanding characteristics were the powerful handshakes and warm greeting that he offered not only to his constituents, but all those with whom he came in contact.

In his last days, the firm grip restricted to the left hand was one of the only ways that he could communicate to those around him…sending a message that he was willing to put up a fight for his life, despite a major stroke that had limited his movements.

He could not respond verbally, but the outstanding grip and squeeze of the hand convinced visitors at his bedside that he fully appreciated what was being said, and the messages of support that were coming in for his recovery.

His movement on the left side of his body made up for the deficiencies of the right, which was flattened by the stroke.

That firm grip and fight eluded his grasp shortly after 11 o’clock Saturday night, as he succumbed to his second stroke, at the Andrew’s Memorial hospital in St Andrew.

Interestingly, the death of the former Cabinet minister and vice president of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) came on the same day that his first wife, Joy was buried at the St Andrew Parish Church, about two kilometres down the road.

Clarke’s second wife, Norma, with whom he spent his last 25 years, was among family members at his bedside when he took his last breath.

Clarke, who would have turned 78 had he lived to see his birthday on July 17, suffered the first stroke on July 2.

The politician had been experiencing serious health issues in recent years, but this did not prevent him from continuing with his private business activities.

Since his retirement from elective politics in 2002, Clarke, an accountant by training ran, among other things, the tourism and entertainment attraction Mystic Mountain with long-time American-born friend, Michael Drakulich in the north eastern tourist resort town of Ocho Rios. The 100-acre property, located beside the popular Dunn’s River Falls, began operating on July 19, 2008.

Born in the large farming community of Belfield in St Mary, Horace Antonio Clarke held the enviable record of not losing a general election, spread over a 30-year period between 1972 and 2002. This was broken only by the PNP’s boycott of Parliament between 1983 and 1989, when then Prime Ministrer Edward Seaga called a snap general election which the PNP said was in breach of a “solemn promise” to clean up the voters’ list before going to the polls.

Clarke served as Member of Parliament for Northern, East Central and later Central St Mary and also filled the Cabinet portfolios of Public Utilities, Mining and Natural Resources, Mining and Energy, and Agriculture under the Michael Manley-led administrations between 1972 and 1980, again from 1989 to 1992, and under PJ Patterson from 1993 until his retirement.

Since his retirement from active politics, Clarke remained involved in party activities on a limited scale, highlighted by his leadership of Dr Peter Phillips’ unsuccessful campaign for PNP leadership in 2006.