Biography:
Only once in a great while do we encounter a person of such great intelligence, compassion and empathy that our lives are changed for the better only in the meeting. Such a person was Carol Ann (Boggs nee) Clark, age 73, who died on December 5th, 2024, in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Carol was born on September 5th, 1951, in Charlotte, North Carolina.  She grew up in Hartsville and Spartanburg, South Carolina, where Carol’s parents, Doyle and Carrie Boggs, were respectively, public-school superintendent and elementary teacher.
 
Carol was both academically and athletically gifted, among other achievements setting her high school girls’ basketball team scoring record. She graduated with a B.A. from the University of South Carolina and obtained a master’s degree from Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Following her parents’ tradition of service in the public schools, Carol taught in elementary schools both in rural South Carolina and in Spartanburg for fifteen years, teaching primarily gifted and talented students. 

Carol, a life-long Presbyterian, felt the call to ordained ministry and entered Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA in 1987, graduating number one in her class in 1990. Of the nine academic awards offered her graduating class, Carol was awarded four of them. The seminary offered Carol a full scholarship to pursue a PhD in the religious subject of her choice, however, she chose to enter the parish ministry for the Presbyterian Church (PCUSA).

She began her ministry in Estill, SC at a small Presbyterian church and served there two years. While there, she married fellow seminary student, Mark Clark, on June 16^th, 1991, and later travelled with him to Austin, Texas so he could practice law. Carol served as interim pastor to several Austin area churches and then as installed pastor at a small church in Wimberley, TX. from 1995 to 2000.  Carol’s gifts for ministry were evident as the church of thirty-five grew to more than two hundred members during her five years there.

In 2000, Carol and Mark moved to North Carolina where Carol served various interim ministries until being installed as pastor to the Unity Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in Denver, NC in 2001. Again, her singular gifts for preaching, worship preparation, pastoral care and administration were displayed as, within four years of her arrival, in order to accommodate the addition of new members, the church acquired additional land for parking, built a new sanctuary and fellowship hall, and added playground facilities. During her fourteen years at Unity, church membership grew from one hundred seventy-five members to over six hundred.

In 2015, Carol moved with Mark to Little Rock, AR as they began the move towards retirement. During this time, she served as interim or supply pastor to several churches including the Park Hill Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) in North Little Rock. A gifted pianist and choir leader, Carol served a year as choir director of a Little Rock church. For three years she served as a member of the staff of the Presbytery of Arkansas, with a focus on church growth. Finally, in January 2024, she returned as pastor of the Park Hill Presbyterian Church where she served until her death.

Carol is preceded in death by her father, Doyle W. Boggs, Jr., mother, Carrie Boggs (Carroll nee) and brother, Doyle W. Boggs III. In addition to her husband, Mark, she is survived by a niece and two nephews. She and Mark had a happy and harmonious life together for over thirty-three years.

Memorial gifts may be given to the Park Hill Presbyterian Church, 3520 John F. Kennedy Blvd., North Little Rock, AR.  A memorial service will be held at Park Hill Presbyterian on Saturday, December 14^th, at 11:00 a.m. with a reception to follow. For those unable to attend in person, the service will be streamed live and available for later viewing as well on the church’s website at www.parkhillpres,org.

In thinking of Carol and the compassionate care and love she gave to so many over her thirty plus years of ministry and seventy plus years of life, one can only say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”