Lawyer's ex-wife sues for his retirement benefits

By ANITA KUMAR

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 7, 2001

CLEARWATER -- The former wife of Blair Clark, a St. Petersburg lawyer who died last year after a legal battle about whether he should be kept alive, is suing to get almost $80,000 in his retirement benefits.

Eileen Q. Clark filed a lawsuit in Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court against Clark's estate; his second wife, Ping Clark; and Prudential Securities, which is requiring a court order before it turns over the money.

Ping Clark went to court last year to stop her stepchildren from withdrawing her husband's life support.

The lawsuit claims that Blair Clark meant to give the money to Eileen Clark, his first wife, but did not affirm that in writing, as required by Prudential, after the couple divorced.

Blair and Eileen Clark's son, Dan Clark, personal representative for the estate, said he will not oppose his mother's request. His attorney, Doug Williamson, said any money the estate received would go to Clark's hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt.

Eileen Clark said Wednesday that the lawsuit was a formality, and that she did not expect any opposition.

Eileen Clark, 58, of St. Petersburg, was married to Clark from April 1969 to May 1997. Clark was married to Ping Clark, 50, when he died after a heart attack.

Ping Clark could not be reached for comment. Her attorney, William Mayhew, did not return a phone call Wednesday.

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