Shaun Michael Clarke

Shaun Michael Clarke died January 5, 2026 at the age of 61, seven years after he was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimer's. His disease took him from us prematurely, but it was not what defined him. Rather, Shaun was known for his unwavering kindness, both personally and professionally, his bright smile, the sparkle in his eyes, and his ability to listen while asking others thoughtful questions about their lives. He cared. Even more, Shaun was a family man, someone who was just as happy to work on a house project or walk the neighborhood loop with his wife and kids and their various idiotic dogs.

Shaun loved all versions of family get-togethers, from Salem to Topsfield to Marion, MA. He never failed to work his way around a room and connect with everyone there. Shaun was skilled at getting others to talk about themselves; he would sit and listen and never minded that he was not the one to share. He truly lived for these interactions. Shaun was always well-intentioned, but was chronically late for every event. Yet, his late arrivals brought no excuses, just a smile and a wink. Shaun was beloved by all. We grieve his loss, but even more, we will miss how he just made us feel good.

Shaun was born on May 14, 1964 in Salem, MA. He spent summers on the water, sailing, boating, and swimming near his grandparents’ home in the Salem Willows. Don’t be fooled into thinking Shaun had the life of leisure, as he was put to work as soon as he could separate a nut from a bolt at Waters & Brown, the family hardware store in Salem. The family’s home heating oil business, Clarke Brothers, also kept Shaun out of trouble and taught him how to park a six-wheel, 2,900 gallon fuel truck in the streets of old town Marblehead.

For much of Shaun’s early life and education he lived in Beverly and attended the public schools there. Later, Shaun attended high school at St. John’s Preparatory School in Danvers where he met some of his lifelong buddies. These friends were the ones with whom Shaun backpacked across Europe, lived with after college, and continued to join for various escapades. His favorite times were the years of sailing in Penobscot Bay and finishing each day with a bottle of bourbon and endless laughs. As Shaun’s condition advanced, his friends would pick him up at the house to take him away for a night or two. They would launch into hysterics and stories before the door closed, and after a weekend of no sleep and lots of togetherness, they would drop Shaun off, belly laughing even harder.

Shaun took a gap year (before that was even a thing), which is another way of saying that he missed the deadlines for his college admissions process. This allowed him to take a PG year at Hebron Academy, a school he selected largely because of the brochure with ski mountains in the background. Shaun then headed to Hobart College, where he majored in Philosophy and met even more life-long friends. Shenanigans ensued, and suddenly, Shaun seemed to miss a graduation deadline with a few incomplete credits. Despite his shaky academic standing, Shaun left his mark on all of those he loved in Upstate New York.

A few years later, Shaun’s college roommate (his fraternity brother and closest friend) asked Shaun to be the best man at his wedding. While serving as best man, Shaun managed to fall for this friend’s younger sister in between giving toasts. In some instances, that would have strained a friendship, but in this case, it forged an even tighter bond between the two, which remained until Shaun’s last days.

Soon after, Sydney and Shaun began their life together. Their early relationship involved boating on the North Shore waters, often anchoring in quiet coves to swim, read the Sunday Globe, and talk. Summer nights, Sydney would park behind the store with a cooler and the dog, and the three of them would walk down the DCYC ramp, push off, and motor around Salem and Marblehead harbors, debriefing about their days.

Simple pleasures were the most meaningful for Shaun. If he wasn’t working (which was a big “if”) then he loved to walk around the Salem Willows and grab Hobbs’ ice cream (coconut chip), to say hi to the neighbors, to listen to music, and to have dinner with close friends and family. The one thing they couldn’t do as a couple was paint. Shaun held firm that it was all in the prep, and Sydney couldn’t be bothered with this level of detail. They agreed to disagree. The proposal took a little longer, about eight years (see the “always late” reference in paragraph two). The thing is, Shaun didn’t need marriage to be a devoted partner and friend.

Shaun was the talent at Waters & Brown, his paint and decorating stores in Salem and Beverly. The joy of his professional life came from the amazing interactions he had with employees, customers, vendors, and friends in the business. Often, he received note after note from satisfied customers who loved their home design results and always appreciated how professional Shaun was in making sure that everything was spot on, even after they changed their minds five times. While contractors pulled their hair out, Shaun always said, “No problem”. He even kept secrets: To this day, there are several home owners who have made Shaun swear never, ever to reveal the formula he created for their exterior paint color, and Shaun never caved. He knew the value of hard work; he performed all aspects of the job without missing a day, and he was devoted to each and every customer.

In addition, he was a board member at the John Bertram House, served as a corporator at Salem Five Bank and was a charter member at Marblehead Harbor Rotary Club.

In 1998, Shaun and several industry colleagues collaborated to launch C2 Paint, an international brand and the standard in the industry. Shaun passionately introduced C2 Paint to painters and consumers. While the venture was successful, it also provided Shaun an outlet for his expertise, creativity, wisdom, and charisma. Among his C2 Paint colleagues, Shaun was known as an exceptional businessperson, a trusted partner, and a cherished friend. Shaun loved every aspect of working with his C2 colleagues, most especially traveling together, drinking wine, laughing, and personally naming paint colors such as “Milk Mustache,” “James Brown,” and “Brouhaha.”

Shaun was first and foremost a family man, and the time he had with his family was quality. At home with his kids, he wanted to hear everything. Shaun modeled patience and kindness. At home, Sunday morning pancakes were his specialty, and dancing around to music when the kids were younger was a daily event. He made the 45 minute drive to piano lessons, belting out Taylor Swift songs he didn’t know the words to. Shaun loved watching Celtics games while yelling four letter word constructive criticisms to the players, going to the beach without sunscreen, and throwing a ball in the yard with the kids and dogs.

While Shaun missed a good portion of his children’s lives during middle school, high school and college as his disease progressed, his lessons continued; he taught them grace under the hardest of circumstances, how to connect with people with merely a smile, how to use a sense of humor to help people be at ease, and how and when to just listen.

From the day Shaun was diagnosed, he continued to teach us lifelong lessons on how to be gracious, positive, and even funny, all while he was being robbed of the basic pleasures that he always loved: his job, driving, boating, meaningful conversations, and family board games. Early on in his diagnosis, it was Shaun who asked others how they were doing, rather than focusing the conversation on his own situation. When people inquired about his health, his response was always that he was surrounded by amazing people, and therefore was “lucky.” Later on, caregivers, friends, and family spoke to the smile that he communicated and led with each day. When life made Shaun simplify, he embraced the changes and began a new life of walking the dog, taking long drives as a passenger, eating unlimited snacks, and enjoying the presence of close friends and family.

Shaun leaves behind his wife of 25 years, Sydney (Brown) Clarke of Hamilton, his children Riley and Max; his brother Timothy and his wife Alice of Danvers; his sister Maura Murphy of Salem, and his mother Sheila Clarke of Beverly. In addition, Shaun is survived by Sydney’s extended family who adored him like one of their own. Shaun is predeceased by his father, Donald Joseph Clarke and his brother in law Francis J. Murphy Sr.

The family would like to thank Seasons of Danvers and Care Dimensions for their warmth and care for Shaun over the last seven months.

We look forward to celebrating Shaun with family and friends at a later date and will update the website as this information becomes available.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages friends to do one or more of the following:

If you'd like to share a memory of Shaun, big or small, please send it to Shaun’s children at (theclarkecrew@gmail.com).

Gifts can be made to support the Brain Health Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Checks can be made payable to Brigham and Women’s Hospital with “In Memory of Shaun Clarke" in the memo line and sent to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Development Office, 263 Huntington Avenue, #318, Boston, MA 02115-4506 or visit bwhgiving.org/memorial.

For more information or online guestbook, please visit www.MurphyFuneralHome.com or call 978-744-0497.