Sandra Nelson Clark (1940-2011)

On Monday, March 21st, we had a great shock when Sandra Clark, Jonny's mother, passed away suddenly although she has been sickly for all the 13 years that I have known her and beyond.  She died of pneumonia complications and COPD.  Jonny had spoken to her just last Saturday when she was feeling as well as usual.  He was able to tell her he loved her.  We received the following emails throughout the week:

Mon 3/21/11 10:25 AM

Children,


Last night Mommy wasn't feeling good and she checked her blood oxygen level. It was 87 to 88 so we decided that she would feel better and be able to rest better with some extra oxygen. She slept in her chair and I went to bed around midnight. She woke me up this morning around 5 am, she was in the bathroom and needed help to get back to her chair. We checked her pulseox again and it was 83 - 84 so I increased the oxygen and we did a nebulizer treatment. The oxygen level came back up to 90 but she was feeling nauseous. I worked with her, trying to get her to breath more deeply up until around 7 am, at that point I decided that we needed to get her to the hospital. I couldn't get her to help me get her into the wheelchair so I could get her to the car, so I had to call an ambulance. The got her back into the low 90s and took some x-rays. They determined that she had pneumonia in both lungs. The took her off to get a cat scan and while she was there her blood pressure dropped too low. They brought her back to the ER where her heart finally gave out. She passed away a few minutes before 10 am this morning. She is finally at rest.


Don't call me right now, I'm too emotional and find it hard to talk. I'll be okay, Sugar (the dog) will take good care of me.


-Love, Dad

Tue 3/22/11 10:14 AM
 
Family and Friends,

Funeral services for Sandy will be held in the Safford Stake Chapel this coming Saturday, March 26th, at 10 am. The services are under the direction of McDougal's Caldwell Funeral Chapel and information will be available at: http://www.caldwellfuneralchapel.com/sitemaker/sites/McDoug1/obit.cgi?user=337259Clark

She has been preparing me for this day since 1997 when she spent 3 months in the hospital and even the doctors were surprised that she survived. Then again in 2004 she refused to be intubated or be transported to TMC, and told me that she wasn't going to come home from the hospital. But, the Lord intervened through a priesthood blessing given by a member of the Stake Presidency. She was told that she wasn't finished, she had more to do. She has been ready to return home to Heavenly Father for years and I guess this time she won the argument!

She planned her funeral service back in 2004, we will do the best we can to follow the outline she made.

-Dad/Lee

FUNERAL HOME NOTICE

Sandra Ann Nelson Clark, 70, of Safford was born to Arnold Leander Nelson and Margit Wessberg Nelson in Mt. Vernon, NY on April 8, 1940. She passed away Monday morning, March 21, 2011 in the Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center. Sandra grew up in Westchester County, NY and graduated from Eastchester HS. She and her family attended the Chester Hill Methodist Church in Mt. Vernon, which had an old pipe organ. This is where she honed her skills and increased her love for playing the organ and piano. Her parents were from Swedish stock, her father being born in Sweden and her mother was born in New York to Swedish parents. A traditional Smorgasbord was a big part of Christmas celebrations in her growing up years. Sandra was an excellent cook, learning most of these skills from her Grandmother. She also learned to crochet, knit, sew, cross stitch and many other arts and crafts. After graduating from high school she worked for Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. in an office just north of the Bronx. She loved to travel and she and her mother took a trip to California, a Caribbean cruise, and a tour of Europe.

In 1962 she joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has spent a lifetime serving in callings in Primary, Young Women and Relief Society including serving as organist, pianist and chorister. In 1963 she married Lee J. Clark and they were sealed for time and all eternity in the LA Temple. They lived in Ithaca, NY and Ames, IA as Lee studied at universities. Then came the adventures of living in Tucupita, Venezuela for about four years, farming in California for eleven years and the rest of her life in Safford. Into their lives came five children: Steve and Leesa were adopted before the family moved to Venezuela; William, Jonathan and David were born in California.

Her greatest joy in life was her family. She was a stay-at-home mom and always very much involved in the lives of her children and grandchildren. She was always working on sewing or handiwork projects. Her home is filled with her handiwork.

She is survived by her husband and children and many grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister Carol Vogeley of Pennsylvania. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Funeral Services will be conducted Saturday, March 26, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. in the Safford LDS Stake Center by Bishop Joe Carpenter of the Safford 3rd Ward. The family will receive friends on Saturday from 9 - 9:45 a.m. in the Relief Society Room. Interment will be in the Safford Cemetery.

THE FUNERAL EXPERIENCE

We left around 4pm on Thursday afternoon and drove through Phoenix so that we could pickup Leesa and her family on the way to Safford.  Her 5 and our 7 filled every seatbelt in our van.  Jamesly, her foster son, also came with them.  Family trickled in throughout Thursday and Friday.  We had a wonderful time visiting with family.  Every child and grandchild was present except for Steve which we know was very hard for him.  Uncle Tom, Aunt Carol, and Uncle David were also able to come. 


The funeral was very special. It was professionally recorded and we look forward to listening to it again. Lanell and Tanya sang two very beautiful songs that were very fitting to our mom's memory. She selected them herself when she wrote her funeral program back in 2004. Leesa and I helped dress mom in her temple/burial clothing. Leesa gave the life history and had help from Will and Dave in writing it. Aunt Carol also shared a few thoughts and also Psalm 29 per our mom's request. Aunt Carol also selected some words from mom's 70th birthday journal entry to share which included the words of Elder Uchtdorf.  Sons and grandsons served as pallbearers.  Jonny dedicated the grave site. 

Afterward, Laura David (as Relief Society President) arranged a luncheon for the family. It was wonderful to sit and visit with everyone. We were introduced to Michael Jay Clark II and his mother Ashley. Michael II is adorable. Ashley seems very nice and also very shy. The next day, Lee blessed baby Michael during sacrament meeting. Michael Jay Clark I gave a very touching testimony indicating that although he spent many years being worldly, having a son has changed him. Then he said something about wanting to live a better life so that he could be the one to introduce his baby to his grandmother among other sentiments.  Jonny, Leesa, and Merrilee also bore testimonies and expressed their thanks.

Lee was kept very busy all weekend with so much company around.  Undoubtedly some lonely days are ahead.  Mom left about 15 journals covering about 50 years. (I never knew she wrote so consistently.) Lee left them all out in the sewing room and invited all to read them. I appreciated this so much. It is such a comfort to me to recognize some of the same feelings and patterns of living when she was my current age and circumstance. It gives me hope and perspective pertaining to raising children. It gave me more feelings of patience to see that eventually I'll come through this time and just to focus on what I need to do for my kids, my husband, and my home at this moment in time. Sandra has also made me want to be better at keeping a journal. Hopefully, having her journals to read will bring Dad some comfort.

Ward members and neighbors have said that they would continue to invite Lee out to dinner and games on the weekends. Apparently 3 couples including Lee and Sandy were taking turns picking a restaurant and a game every weekend.  Lee's friends will also continue to accompany him four-wheeling in the desert and being the Webelos leader should also continue to keep him busy.

We stayed up late every night visiting, getting reacquainted, and strengthening relationships.  One of the nights, Steve called and many of the family were able to speak to him.  Monday night, we put the kids to bed early so that we could load them in the car at 1am Tuesday morning to begin our travel home.  We dropped Leesa and family off at the airport at 4am then arrived home in Yuma by 7am. 

We are appreciative of the cards, flowers, and phone calls received offering comforting words from friends, family, and co-workers.  We have great faith in the gospel plan and have had spiritual confirmation of it's validity.  We know that we shall meet again and are so grateful to a loving Savior who has made it possible.

Josh, Jonny, Leesa, and Jaylyn.

Christi, Jamesly, Darren in front.  Jaylyn, Emma, Sophie in the middle.  Jay, Nikki, Britton, and Josh sleeping in the back row.

Jonny, Uncle David, Leesa, Emma, Lanell, Will, Merrilee, Tanya.

Lee Clark holding his first great-grandchild Michael Clark II.

Uncle David, Emma, Leesa, Jonny holding Darren.  We stayed up late most nights visiting and reminiscing.  We were able to get to know Uncle Tom and Aunt Carol much better.