Former Alumni and box office manager of the Clayes Performing Arts Center, Sandra Clark, died in her home last week.
Neither Clark nor her family revealed her cause of death, but many of her colleagues did confirm that she had ailing health problems.
Although the exact time is not known, “She passed away sometime between Thursday evening and Friday afternoon” said Stephan Lewicki, the audience services and fiscal manager of the performing arts center.
Clark received her bachelors degree in theater at Cal State Fullerton in the 1980s. Prior to attending, she received an associate degree from Santa Ana College. She also received a secondary teaching certificate.
Former colleague and Dean of the College of the Arts, Joseph Arnold, Ph.D., has known Clark since the ‘80s.
“I’ve known her as a student,” Arnold said.
After she graduated from CSUF, she worked as box office assistant for 13 years and then went to work at the University of Washington as the director of ticketing for the arts.
Clark made her way back to CSUF in 2006, where she was named the box office manager.
According to people close to her, she made a conscious effort to do her job suitably and was likeable and forthcoming with assistance in any way she could.
“She was good with patrons and a great person to work with” Arnold said. “She would go out of her way to help others”.
Clark was divorced and left behind a daughter named Summer, who lives in Seattle, Wash., with Clark’s only granddaughter.
“I first heard about her death Friday,” Arnold said. “She ultimately thought about retiring up in Washington.”
Lewicki admired Clark’s ability to create a positive working environment.
“We were peers, both of our jobs worked hand in hand together, so we were always in collaboration,” he said. “We shared an office. Sandra and I were rather close, professionally.”
“Sandra cared very much about the University and the Performing Arts Center and (was) an avid lover of the performing arts,” Lewicki said.
Those close to her said Clark was approachable and yet professional in every aspect, in addition to being very passionate about her job.
“She took her job very seriously and made great leaps of bounds with the opening of the new center to bring a new level of professionalism to the college for our performing arts center,” Lewicki said.
According to Lewicki, Clark spent most of her time at the box office. It was a full-time job, with work hours ranging from 50 to 60 hours a week due to performance schedules by the Theater of Performing Arts, which produces about 250 performances a year.
Spencer Derr, 20, a theater major, worked in the box office for almost two years with Clark.
His relationship with Clark was one that really exposed a side of Clark that most people probably did not get the chance to experience.
“We had a good relationship. She was very opinionated on some subjects,” Derr said.
Derr recalled that Clark enjoyed reading novels and keeping up with TV shows.
Clark was Derr’s first manager ever.
“I was shocked — I didn’t know anyone that died before, but now I know she’s not suffering anymore,” Derr said
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