Dr. Alan Clarke, an Andover resident and longtime fixture in the Massachusetts education community, died Feb. 25 at the age of 69.

He was the husband of the late Norma (Kornegay) Clarke, and the father of Alan K. “Azi” Clarke. He was the brother of Edward Clarke of Malden; Ruth Ann Clarke of Plymouth and Andover; Mildred Shelburne of Roxbury; Amy Hood of Medford; and was predeceased by James, Eugene and Janice. He is survived by an aunt, Eva VanLeesten of Virginia, and a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

Clarke was born in Boston on Oct. 23, 1937, the second of Edward and Mildred Clarke’s eight children. He spent his early years in Roxbury and attended the Boston Latin School. After graduating in 1955, he attended Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, joining the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and receiving his bachelor’s degree in 1959. He went on to earn a master’s degree in education from Boston State College in 1966 and a doctor of education degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1979.

In 1977, Clarke married Dr. Norma Kornegay. His only son, Alan Kornegay Clarke, was born in Boston in 1983. Clarke was widowed in 1996.

Beginning in 1960, Clarke worked as a special education instructor for the Boston School Department, assisting in the revision of the city’s curriculum. In 1966, Clarke assumed the role of program director at the Thompson Academy, organizing educational and counseling activities and recruiting and training staff.

The following year, Clarke became project director of Bridge Upward Bound, a program that offered tutoring and college preparation assistance for high school students. It was at Bridge Upward Bound that Clarke met his future wife, Norma Kornegay. He also served as executive director of Bridge Fund, Inc., which is still a viable community resource today, providing needed services in a number of fields.

In 1979, Clarke became executive assistant to the Superintendent of the Boston School Department, where he stayed for two years before joining the Boston Housing Authority as a deputy administrator in 1981. At the BHA, he set budget priorities, evaluated submissions and settled disputes for the fourth-largest housing authority in the nation.

From July 1983 until his March 1998 retirement, Clarke served as director of educational support programs at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He was instrumental in developing the school’s numerous TRIO programs, funded by Congress to enhance educational opportunities for low-income and disabled citizens. Clarke’s leadership helped bring in millions of dollars in federal grants to assist students from disadvantaged backgrounds prepare for college and begin graduate careers.

After his retirement, Clarke established the Norma K. Clarke Scholarship Fund at the Charles Street AME Church in Boston to assist high school students who wish to attend college. He was also treasurer of the board of the Central Boston Elder Services.

Clarke was a mentor to many young students and always maintained a positive commitment to family and education. He was a voracious reader, an avid listener to the old-time radio shows of his youth and a renowned wit whose sense of humor brightened the days of his friends, family and co-workers.

Clarke’s funeral was held Tuesday at the Charles Street AME Church. Interment took place Wednesday at Forest Hills Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Clarke’s memory may be made to the Norma K. Clarke Scholarship Fund c/o Charles Street AME Church.