We regret to announce that Orman Clarke died on 17 October 2010 in the Royal United Hospital, Bath.
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A Funeral Requiem Mass will take place on Monday 1 November at 1pm at St John The Evangelist Catholic Church (South Parade, Bath BA2 6PT) followed by cremation at Haycombe Cemetery & Crematorium (Whiteway Rd, Bath BA2 2RQ).
The Rainbow Steel Band will play at the service and Father Bill, OSM University Catholic Chaplain will officiate (email: catholicchaplain@bath.ac.uk)
The funeral director dealing with arrangements is E Hooper & Son (13 St James’s Parade, Bath, BA1 1UL | 01225 422040)
The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made by cheque to the Catholic Association for Racial Justice or in a retiring collection on the day of the funeral c/o Clifton Diocesan Finance Office, Alexander House, 160 Pennywell Road, Bristol, BS5 0TX.
Orman’s widow, Mrs Avis Clarke, and family are most grateful for all the expressions of sympathy they have received.
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Orman joined the University in February 1968 as a Plant Controller in the Engineer & Surveyor’s Department, having worked for South West Gas for the previous 12 years.
He was promoted to Mechanical Services Chargehand in 1977, and to Supervisor in March 1978. This resulted in his taking responsibility, through his trades union, for negotiating annual pay awards for the craftworkers whom he represented.
He received the University’s Support Staff Award in 1997, in recognition of his work at the University; his contribution to trades unionism locally, regionally and nationally; his work for the Church (he was a Church of England Lay Reader before his conversion to Roman Catholicism); and for the improvement of international relations in Bath.
Orman is pictured right on his retirement in October 1998 at 65 years old.
Angela Harrington worked alongside Orman in her trades union role: “Orman was a national rep for NUPE prior to when NUPE and NALGO merged to form Unison; he retired soon after the merger but acted as our retired member for a number of years until poor health intervened.
“He was much respected and loved by us all.
“He was recognised for his work in racial relations and also played a critical part in the promotion of black members within Unison south west.”
Father Bill, OSM, University Catholic Chaplain knew Orman well. He said: “Orman was recognised as a good man, loving his family and committed to his Faith in Christ and he will undoubtedly be remembered for all those things by family, colleagues and friends.
“Orman was widely known for many reasons including the rather special one of his role as a founder member of the Rainbow Steel Band.
“His work with the Clifton Diocesan Committee for Community Relations and then the Racial Justice Committee was a very important part of his life.
“Orman helped me in a most generous way for the past 12 years not only as Sacristan at the Ecumenical Chaplaincy Centre but also as a valued adviser after years of association with the University of Bath. He was a respected member of the Ecumenical Team of Chaplains.”
Orman had received the Anointing of the Sick from Father Bill in the days before his death, and the Last Rites were administered at the time of Orman’s death. Holy Mass was offered for the repose of his soul at last Sunday’s celebration on campus.
We send our deepest sympathy to Orman’s widow, Avis, and their family.