Harold Nielson Obituary

I knew Clarke for nearly 45 years. He was an absolutely fascinating scholar and a deeply caring human being. He was the unquestioned expert in the psychology department on evolutionary theory and I once foolishly challenged him to co-teach a graduate course with me, with my role to be to advocate for cognitive explanations of animal behavior and his to be to advocate for competing evolutionary explanations. Did he ever! By the end of the term he had won every one of my challenges. His accurately predicting how animal behavior was moving toward evolutionary theory reflected an almost uncanny ability to read the future. He was I believe the first in the psychology department to predict the rise of health psychology, which at the time very few psychology departments provided training in but which now is a prominent area in psychology. He also predicted the future of individual research programs: he predicted some individual faculty space needs before the faculty did themselves. He solved countless space utilization problems in the “new” (1969) building in a way that took into account his broad vision of the entire department's likely growth trajectory. This kind of leadership involved his giving an inordinate amount of his time and resources in support of his colleagues.

Clarke was very kind to me. I can't swear to this but I believe it is true that for many years now, scarcely a day has gone by without my thinking of him, many times wondering what he would say about something. I always led a hermit-like life in the psychology department and he was my one and only beer drinking buddy; I always looked forward to meeting him for beer late on Friday afternoons. I sadly never attended the famous Friday group sessions in years previous. I also never went on one of his and Jack White's departmental camping, hunting, fishing expeditions, but he finally felt I had thereby so undermined the quality of life of my family that he and Joyce took it upon themselves to take us to Flaming Gorge for an astonishing, inspiring, and unforgettable adventure. He got me and my family closer to nature than we ever had been before. I miss Clarke very much, and I hope Joyce and their family can take some small comfort in how much he meant to his friends.

Charlie Shimp

April 01, 2013

I've been remembering how much fun Fred and I had on Clarke's fishing trips to Lake Powell and Flaming Gorge. Clarke and Joyce prepared enough food for breakfast so that we could fish all day and then return to the campsite for the day's catch to be fried for dinner.

It was Clarke who got Fred hooked on golf. Their golf trips "the tour" involved playing a minimum of 36 holes per day.

Fond memories.

Clarke Nielson was one of the architects of the modern Psychology Department at the University of Utah. Along with Jack White, Paul Porter, and a handful of others, he helped hire a coterie of productive young new faculty members during the 1960s, who formed the base for the Department as it exists to-day. Clarke was also instrumental in helping design the new Psychology Department building of that era, and was responsible for allocating space and managing new construction of labs and other facilities. Clarke also was one of the leaders of the annual department camping trip to the Fremont River, and will always be remembered for the incredible garlic flavor of everything he cooked on those trips. A fine colleague, friend and mentor to many students.

Irwin Altman

Clarke was a long time member of the Psychology Department at the U, and helped grow our department into the strong one it is today. In addition to his contributions in scholarship and service, he also was known for initiating new faculty into the secrets of where to buy scratch-and-dent merchandise, the best places for fishing, and the best places for marathon golf... My sympathies to all his family.

I went to school with Clark or Amoeba and graduated in the class of 48 with him. He was a great person. My sympathy to his family.
Marion (Pulli) Beacco Matson

Clarke, Jack White and Paul Porter were the architects of the modern Psychology Department at the University of Utah. This trio, and a few others, were responsible for the hiring of a host of bright and productive young faculty during the Department's expansion in the 1960s. Clarke was also a key player in the design 0f the 14 story building housing the Psychology Department, and skillfully negotiated with its 30 faulty to assign, design and allocate space. His contributions were enormous. Clarke's leadership of the Department on its annual Fremont River trip was also crucial, and his garlic -treated recipes are remembered by a few of us to this day.

Irwin Altman

I had the pleasure of growing up with Clark way back in elementary school. We walked to school together 90% of the time. We were involved together in athletics. He was a close very good friend. At the last two class reunions, I sat at the same table as Clark and his wife.

Although I never had the privilege of knowing Clark, my advisor at the University of Utah, Fred Rhodewalt, would talk at length about him in a fond and humorous manner.

Perhaps Fred and Clarke are enjoying a round of gold in the great beyond somewhere.

I had the pleasure of getting to know Clark throughout this past year. I enjoyed being able to visit regularly. Clark had to deal with more than his fair share of challenges with his health. He faced them all bravely and with the incredible support of Joyce put up a fair fight. My condolences to Joyce and other family members. Know I've been thinking about you and sending my love. I witnessed your love for him as you cared for him daily. Thanks being such a kind hearted and caring person.
Laura