Former Specialist Underwriting Agencies (SUA) shareholder Denis Clarke has died after a long illness.

SUA director John Iles says Mr Clarke, who retired in 2009 after suffering a stroke, was a lifelong insurance professional, spending most of his career with Zurich in Adelaide and Brisbane.

In 1999 Mr Clarke moved to SUA as underwriting manager. He became a shareholder in 2005.

A function to honour Mr Clarke will take place at the Breakfast Creek Hotel, Brisbane, at 2pm on Wednesday.