Described as a man who could light up a room the moment he entered it, family, friends, members of the legal fraternity, the general public and well-wishers all gathered at the St John’s Cathedral on Wednesday to pay their final respects to a magistrate who has touched the lives of so many persons in Antigua and Barbuda.
A brother, friend, magistrate, basketball enthusiast, former Deputy Registrar of the Intellectual Property and Commerce Office, Magistrate Carden Concliffe Clarke’s life was best reflected in the words of his brother Dave Clarke and Herbert Joseph, his closest friend.
“He was loyal, lovable, brilliant, jovial, and enthusiastic,” Dave Clarke said in his eulogy, recounting how his brother grew up in the Villa area as the youngest child.
Born on October 27, 1974, Magistrate Clarke formed early bonds with his siblings and the Villa community, where he became part of what his brother called “the Villa gang.”
Dave Clarke recounted how his brother could “take five minutes to become fast friends with everyone he met” and possessed a remarkable gift for storytelling that would “lighten moments, uplift ideas, and give food for thought.”
The funeral service heard of Magistrate Clarke’s academic journey, which included studies at the State University of New York and Hugh Wooding Law School and how the magistrate was called to the Bar on his birthday in 2000 after completing his legal studies.
He served as one of the youngest magistrates in the country, representing both Districts A and B in Antigua and was known for his expertise in intellectual property and copyright law.
Throughout his career, Clarke was instrumental in strengthening the entertainment environment for local and regional artists while maintaining active involvement in the Eastern Caribbean Copyright Licensing Association.
His status within the legal fraternity saw him receive a guard of honour as his coffin was brought into and out of the Cathedral, as lawyers both young and old paid respects to their former colleague.
Herbert Joseph, in an emotional tribute, described Clarke as “a friend who is my brother” and recalled their lifelong friendship that began in childhood.
“He was the first person that I knew outside my family after I was born,” Joseph said. “It’s just like he was always there.”
Joseph reminisced about their daily summer trips to the beach, basketball games, and shared passion for music, noting that Clarke was “the hype man, the storyteller” and had contagious energy.
“The man could walk into a room and own it. Whether it’s a casual hangout or formal event, you could bet he’d be holding court somewhere,” Joseph said.
Both eulogies also highlighted Clarke’s devotion to his family, particularly his wife, Nikki, whom he met as a schoolboy, and their son Israel.
“In Conliffe’s eyes, Israel was a superhero from birth,” Dave Clarke said, while Joseph noted that “watching Israel grow up was one of the best things and the greatest gifts of his life.”
Reverend Franklin Benjamin who officiated the service, delivering a message centred around “redeeming love.”
Magistrate Clarke passed away on February 7 at age 50. He had previously been battling with cancer which he celebrated the end of his treatment at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre two years ago.
