Charlie Clark’s beloved ‘Nana’ dies at 99

Charlie Clark and María Cruz Aurora Aguirre, known throughout the Rio Grande Valley as Clark’s “Nana” and a staple in the car empresario’s commercials, in an undated photo. (Courtesy: Charlie Clark Nissan El Paso)

Charlie Clark Nissan announced Tuesday that Maria Cruz Aurora Aguirre, known throughout the Rio Grande Valley as Clark’s “Nana” and a staple in the car empresario’s commercials, died at the age of 99.

A native of Montemorelos, Mexico, Aguirre was the Clark family’s longtime nanny who cared for Clark growing up and worked for the family for four generations. 

“We are thankful for all the Love and Affection that was shown towards her,” a statement on the dealership’s Facebook page said Tuesday. “Nana won our hearts and became a symbol of our Nanas. She is and will continue to be a pillar to all that knew her.”

María Cruz Aurora Aguirre, known throughout the Rio Grande Valley as Clark’s “Nana” and a staple in the car empresario’s commercials, is seen in this file photo. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald)

Clark and Aguirre were close, sharing what was virtually a familial relationship.

“Although Mrs. Aguirre was married to her husband Amado and had a daughter of their own, she would eventually love Charlie to the point where she would see him as her own son and he as a mother,” a biography on the dealership’s website says.

That relationship became a fixture of a sales campaign the dealership launched to market vehicles to the latino community.

“Charlie even incorporated his beloved Nana into his marketing campaigns, often at times using tasteful comical impersonations of Hollywood movies such as Rocky, in which Charlie and Nana play boxer and trainer roles, mimicking Sylvester Stallone and his wife in the movie Rocky,” the biography reads. “Charlie Clark Nissan Harlingen would very quickly see success after immediately connecting with the Latino community and would never look back.”

Many of those ads featured Aguirre — petite and grandmotherly looking — jokingly threatening to “pau pau” Clark: a humorous threat of a spanking or a whack with a chancla that she used to emphasize that the company would stand by its guarantees.

More recent videos and pictures focused more on the genuine relationship between Clark and Aguirre: lots of hugs, chitchatting and smiles.

An emotional video of Clark and Aguirre being reunited after COVID-19 lockdowns shows Aguirre being taken outside to meet Clark, somewhat frail looking and in a wheelchair.

She lacked, however, none of her old charm.

“We’re reunited in this lobby, y mi rey aqui tambien,” she says, calling Clark her king affectionately.

The two embraced, shaking with emotion.

“Qué viva Charlie Clark,” she lovingly exclaimed.