Charles C. "Bud" Clarke, a former executive vice president withthe Insurance Information Institute in New York, died Tuesday athis home in West New York, N.J. He was 79.

His death was announced by the I.I.I., which gave the cause ascancer.

I.I.I. Executive Vice President Cary Schneider said Mr. Clarkehad contributed enormously to public understanding of complexinsurance issues, and was an extremely important contributor to theInstitute's growth.

"He was greatly respected for his steady leadership andexcellent judgment on industry matters," said Mr. Schneider, whoworked with Mr. Clarke for 14 years.

"Bud early on recognized the importance of communicatingdirectly with insurance consumers, and he had been a majorinfluence in establishing the Institute's reputation as a reliablesource of factual information on all aspects of property-casualtyinsurance," Mr. Schneider added.

Mr. Clarke was associated with the I.I.I. since its inception in1960. He was responsible for all matters in the area of publicinformation, including supervision of media relations, fieldservices, special services and educational relations divisions.

From 1956 to 1960, Mr. Clarke served as Midwestern publicrelations director of the Association of Casualty and SuretyCompanies. The public relations functions of that organization, aswell as those of seven other insurance organizations, were mergedinto I.I.I. when it was founded.

Born in Freeport, Ill., he graduated from the Marquette Schoolof Journalism in 1949. Mr. Clarke worked in the Chicago office ofNational Underwriter. He later became associate editor of thepublication as well as editor of the Insurance Exchangemagazine.

Mr. Clarke was a member of the Public Relations Society ofAmerica, the Society of Professional Journalists, the Chicago PressClub, The Overseas Press Club, the New York Deadline Club, and theDrug and Chemical Club.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Henzel Clarke, three children,Stephen, of Scotch Plains, N.J., Jenifer Kobilinski, of GreenTownship, N.J., and Kristen Johannsen of Huxley, Iowa. He alsoleaves five siblings and seven grandchildren.

A funeral mass will be held on Dec. 27 at 11:15 a.m. at St.Joseph of the Palisades Church in West New York, N.J. In lieu offlowers, the family requests that donations be made to The NationalCancer Institute.