Mary Higgins Clark, ‘Queen of Suspense, dies at 92
Mary Higgins Clark, the tireless and longreigning “Queen of Suspense” whose tales of women beating the odds made her one of the world’s most popular writers, died Friday at age 92.
Her publisher, Simon & Schuster, announced that she died of natural causes in Naples, Florida.
“Nobody ever bonded more completely with her readers than Mary did,” her longtime editor Michael Korda said in statement. “She understood them as if they were members of her own family. She was always absolutely sure of what they wanted to read — and, perhaps more important, what they didn’t want to read — and yet she managed to surprise them with every book.”
Widowed in her late 30s with five children, she became a perennial bestseller over the second half of her life, writing or co-writing “A Stranger Is Watching,” “Daddy’s Little Girl” and more than 50 other favorites. Sales topped 100 million copies and honors came from all over, including a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters from France or a Grand Master statuette back home from the Mystery Writers of America. Many of her books, like “A Stranger is Watching” and “Lucky Day,” were adapted for movies and television. She also collaborated on several novels with her daughter, Carol Higgins Clark.
Mary Higgins Clark specialized in women triumphing over danger, such as the besieged young prosecutor in “Just Take My Heart” or the mother of two and art gallery worker whose second husband is a madman in “A Cry in the Night.” Clark’s goal as an author was simple, if rarely easy: Keep the readers reading.
“You want to turn the page,” she told The Associated Press in 2013. “There are wonderful sagas you can thoroughly enjoy a section and put it down. But if you’re reading my book, I want you stuck with reading the next paragraph. The greatest compliment I can receive is, ‘I read your darned book ‘til 4 in the morning, and now I’m tired.’ I say, ‘Then you get your money’s worth.’”
Her own life taught her lessons of resilience — strengthened by her Catholic faith — that she shared with her fictional heroines. She was born Mary Higgins in 1927 in New York City, the second of three children. She would later take the last name Clark after marriage. Her father ran a popular pub that did well enough for the family to afford a maid and for her mother to prepare meals for strangers in need. But business slowed during the Great Depression, and her father, forced to work ever longer hours as he laid off employees, died in his sleep in 1939. One of her brothers died of meningitis a few years later. Surviving family members took on odd jobs and had to rent
ANTHONY SAGER MILAN- Anthony “Tony” Sager, 63, of Milan passed away peacefully on Jan. 27, 2020, after a short battle with cancer. He was born on April 4, 1956 in the city of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., to Irene Chocianowski. After graduating from Dutchess Community College in 1976 he immediately started working at IBM until his retirement in 2010. After retiring from IBM he pursued several different opportunities, most recently with BlackRidge Technologies, where he worked jointly with Marist College. During his time at IBM he received many awards and patents. Tony made many lifelong friends at IBM and impacted many lives. Tony worked tirelessly throughout his entire life. There was never a day off for him. There was no one with more drive and determination. Tony had a memorable laugh, an outgoing personality, and was always the life of any party. Tony got the most pleasure from live music, happy hours, golfing, fishing, family, poker games on the hill, boy’s week at Saratoga, and spontaneous trips to the casino. Tony will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Elaine of 37 years; his son, TJ and his wife Amanda; his son, Ryan and his wife Jaclyn; his grandson, Chase; and his granddog, Kona. Tony will also be forever remembered by numerous close family and friends. Friends may call at Burnett & White Funeral Home in Red Hook, N.Y., on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020, from 4 to 7 p.m. Funeral Services will be held at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of Wurtemburg at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020. Burial will immediately follow at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Cemetery of Wurtemburg with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers donation may be made to the Dutchess County SPCA located at 636 Violet Ave., Hyde Park, N.Y., 12538. Arrangements are under the direction of Burnett and White Funeral Homes, 7461 S. Broadway, Red Hook, N.Y., 12571. For directions, or to sign online guest book, please visit www.burnett-white.com.
JAMES WELLINGTON DELMEGE, JR. SAUGERTIES- James Wellington Delmege, Jr., 92, of Niantic, Conn., formally of Saugerties, N.Y., passed away on Jan. 6 2020. He was born on Oct 1, 1927 in Hartford, Vt. After graduating from high school in Hanover, N.H., he enlisted in the Army Air Corps,serving in World War II. After his honorable discharge he worked on early computers at MIT Lincoln Labs in Cambridge, Mass. After moving to Saugerties in 1957,he worked at IBM Kingston for 34 years. He was a Charter member of the Hudson Valley Flying Club. He was a member of the Saugerties Power Boat Association, serving as commodore one year. He was predeceased by his sister, Winifred (Joe) Saia. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Nancy H. Delmege; daughter, Debra Lyn Dickson; son, James (Sue) William Delmege; sister, Martha Morley; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. His Funeral Arrangements are under the supervision of the Seamon-Wilsey Funeral Home, Inc., corner of John and Lafayette Sts., Saugerties. Further obituary information and expressions of condolence may be shared at SeamonWilseyFuneralHome.com.
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MARY E. FISCO SAUGERTIES- Mary E. Fisco, 86, of Blue Mt. Rd. died peacefully on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020, surrounded by her family. She was born Oct. 10, 1933 in Manhattan the daughter of the late Rocco and Anna DeSimone. An area resident since 1969 she previously resided in Bayside, Queens. She was employed in the Finance Dept. of the Benedictine Hospital for many years. Mary loved her family and in earlier years was active in the Saugerties Republican Party. In her youth she performed as a ballet dancer in New York City. Predeceased by her husband, Joseph in 2008, survivors include her daughter, Roseann (Adam) Douglas; three sons: Sam (Elizabeth), Andrew, and Joseph Saverio (Sandra) Fisco all of Saugerties; two brothers, Peter of Roxbury and Frank DeSimone of Long Island; sister, Carmella Lorenz of College Point; five grandchildren: Daniel Douglas, Tinamarie and Joseph Fisco, and Elissa and Joseph Zmiyarch; and several nieces and nephews. Her Funeral Service will be held privately with interment in the Blue Mt. Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of the Seamon-Wilsey Funeral Home, Inc. Corner of John and Lafayette Sts., Saugerties. Further obituary information and expressions of condolence may be shared with the family on Mary’s Tribute Wall at SeamonWilseyFuneralHome.com
EDWARD SINGLETON SR. KINGSTON- Edward Singleton, Sr., 82, of Third Avenue, Kingston, died Sunday Jan. 26, 2020, at Golden Hill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Funeral and cremation arrangements are under the guidance of the Joseph V. Leahy Funeral Home, Inc., 27 Smith Avenue, Kingston www.jvleahyfh. com. Friends will be received at the funeral home on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020, from 3 to 7 p.m. Please check the funeral home website for full memorial biography. 79 Hurley Ave. Kingston, NY 12401 dailyfreeman.com Phone: 845-331-5000 Newsroom Fax: 845-331-3557 General Fax: 845-338-0672 CONTACT US Publisher: Kevin Corrado, kcorrado@ medianewsgroup.com Senior editor: Ivan Lajara, ilajara@freemanonline.com City editor: Jeremy Schiffres, jschiffres@freemanonline.com News tips: news@freemanonline.com Sports results: sports@freemanonline.com Life: life@freemanonline.com Regional Circulation Director: Michael Sheehan, msheehan@lowellsun.com
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out rooms in the house.
Clark had always loved to write. At age 6, she completed her first poem, which her mother proudly requested she recite in front of the family. A story she wrote in grade school impressed her teacher enough that Clark read it to the rest of the class. By high school, she was trying to sell stories to True Confessions magazine.
After working as a hotel switchboard operator — Tennessee Williams was among the guests she eavesdropped on — and a flight attendant for Pan American, she married Capital Airways regional manager Warren Clark in 1949. Throughout the 1950s and into the ‘60s, she raised their children, studied writing at New York University and began getting stories published.
Some stories drew upon her experiences at Pan American. Another story, which appeared in The Saturday Evening Post, “Beauty Contest at Buckingham Palace,” imagined a pageant featuring Queen Elizabeth II, Jackie Kennedy and Princess Grace of Monaco.