Eugenie Clark, The Shark Lady, Has Died

Published 11 years agoon February 26, 2015

Eugenie Clark, AKA ‘The Shark Lady’, died yesterday morning in Sarasota, Florida. She was 92.

In a career that spanned more than half a century, Clark – a pioneering marine scientist, best-selling author and founder of Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium – wrote hundreds of scientific papers and logged thousands of dives all over the world. She became famous in 1953 with her first book, “Lady With a Spear,” and continued writing until her death.

“She was a trooper to the end, always wanting to finish her work,” said her son Tak Konstantinou yesterday. “She was unstoppable. Driven. Passionate. Tough. Strong.”

Clark was also stubborn — her son remembered the time she was thrown in an Israeli jail after an altercation with a bus driver — and funny. She was once asked if she had advice for young women who wanted to become scientists.

“Follow your heart,” Clark said, “and take as much math as you can.”

Michael Crosby, president and CEO of Mote Marine, said there are plans for a Eugenie Clark Day of Celebration in coming weeks.

What became a world-class research institution began 60 years ago with one woman in a one-room laboratory.

“What Mote has lost and what the world of science has lost is a legend,” Crosby said. “That’s not an overstatement or an exaggeration. Genie Clark was a special person.”

Clark appeared on television programs that included NBC’s “Today” and CBS’ “60 Minutes.” Her research was featured in publications that ranged from Sports Illustrated to Vogue and National Geographic, where she wrote articles and made TV specials.

Photographer David Doubilet described her as a larger-than-life character.

“Her contributions were astounding,” he said. “She never outgrew this absolute fascination of looking and seeing and observing under water. Even when I was a younger man and she was older, I couldn’t keep up with her. She moved with a kind of liquid speed underwater.”

Clark married five times and had four children — Aya, Hera, Tak and Niki — who grew up in Sarasota. The family plan to scatter her ashes in the Gulf of Mexico.

In lieu of flowers, they encourage donations to Mote Marine.