Clark ‘Cutty’ Cummings

Those who knew Clark understood that he gave his all in everything he did — from 20 years of service to his country to the deep love he shared with his family and friends. His family asks that you remember him not for the way his life ended, but for the remarkable way it was lived and for the enduring impact he had on everyone fortunate enough to know him.

Clark is survived by his four daughters Ally, Jackie, Nena and Tristen; his mother and stepfather Danielle and Harlow; his sisters Natalie, Angelique, Becky, and Roxanne; his brothers Patrick and Merle; his two granddaughters Eleanor and Esther; and a large community of family, friends and fellow Navy SEALs who considered him a brother.

Born on March 23, 1962, in Paris, France, to Allan Cummings and Danielle Greguire, Clark grew up excelling as a three-sport athlete with a particular passion for basketball. After graduating from Hermon-DeKalb Central School in 1980 and spending one semester at North Country Community College, he decided to say “see you later” to upstate New York and enlist in the U.S. Navy in 1981.

Clark attended OS “A” School in Dam Neck, Virginia, and was assigned to the USS Newport (LST 1179). Following years at sea, he transferred to the Naval Special Warfare Center and graduated a part of BUD/S Class 130, earning his place as a Navy SEAL in 1984. Clark’s distinguished career included service with SEAL Team 2, SEAL Team 6 (as a Red Team assault team member and boat crew leader), and Gold Team as team chief. Later, he took a role as an instructor at the Naval Special Warfare Center at Little Creek.

After 20 years of dedicated military service, Clark moved his family to Saranac Lake and officially retired in 2001. In the years that followed, he took on various jobs including working for the Chicago Hope Academy, Camp Trident in Virginia and Close Quarters Defense on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Among his proudest achievements after his military career were building a timber-frame home for his family and coaching all four of his daughters in youth and high school sports. Throughout his life, Clark embraced adventure — whether it was traveling the world during his service or touring the United States while living out of a sprinter van. Though his life ended too soon, those who loved him can say with certainty that Clark truly lived. And until the very end, he challenged those around him to fight for a life worth living.

A celebration of Clark’s life will be held on Friday, Aug. 29. Further details will be announced at a later date. Please reach out to his family with any questions in the interim.