Bedford Times-Press, Wednesday, March 13, 1996
THELMA GRACE (PETERSON) CLARK
Thelma G. Clark, age 88 yr., 7 months, originally from Iowa and later South Dakota passed away on Tuesday, February 27, 1996 at Wesley rehabilitation and Care Center, of natural causes. Thelma was born in Mt. Etna, Iowa on July 30, 1907. Her parents were W. D. (Del) Peterson of Mt. Etna, Iowa and Flora Myrtle (Brown) Peterson of Corning, Iowa.
Thelma and her parents moved to Opal, South Dakota in 1910 to homestead south of Fox Ridge. When Thelma was in the 7th grade, her family moved east to Fedora, South Dakota near Mitchell. She graduated from Fedora High School in 1926. During the next three years, Thelma worked and studied to prepare for teaching elementary school. In 1930, with the strong encouragement of Edith Cade, Thelma tested for and obtained an Iowa Teachers Certificate. This launched her on a long and successful career in elementary school teaching. From 1930 through 1937, she taught in Adams and Taylor Counties, Iowa.
On March 6, 1937 Thelma and William Everett Clark were married in Bedford, Iowa. The groom, a lifetime native of Sharpsburg, Iowa was the son of Lela Gertrude (Keith) Clark and James Henry Clark. In the fall of 1937, the newly married couple moved to Opal, South Dakota where Thelma resumed teaching and Everett continued a family tradition of farming. On October 7, 1938 Sidney Everett Clark was born at Faith, South Dakota. In 1941, Thelma and family moved to northern Idaho and later central south Washington. Following a series of farm related jobs, Everett spent time at the Hanford site of the Manhattan Project. While it was a good paying job in a "vital" defense industry project that supported the United States war efforts, it ultimately proved fatal through death of massive cancer in February 1949. Thelma was now faced with the obligations of chief and only breadwinner. She went back to college and upgraded her teaching credentials.
In 1951, she returned to South Dakota to teach in the Cooper School District. Over the years, a number of schools, including Fox Ridge, Red Elm, Squaw Butte, Lakeside, Pleasant Valley, Hope, Mud Butte, Cottonwood, Soliday, and Dupree, were added to her list of schools and the beloved children. All were prairie schools.
Thelma always considered the prairie around Fox Ridge to be home. She was particularly proud that she had the opportunity to teach all of the Dan Wood, Willard Haines, and Walter Grueb family children.
One of Thelma's greatest goals was to receive a college degree. Unfortunately, she could not afford to go back to college full time. As the years went by many of her earned credits no longer counted toward a full four-year college degree. On the seventeenth day of August 1962, she did receive an associate degree from her beloved Black Hills Teachers College at Spearfish, South Dakota.
Thelma retired from full time teaching in 1973, but continued to do substitute teaching until 1979. In 1979 she moved to Anchorage, Alaska to live near her son Sidney's family. She became active in the Foster Grandparent Program in Anchorage. She continued to share love with children in a day care center until May 1985, when an unfortunate fall severely broke her right arm. Trauma coupled with the onset of dementia required that she live her remaining years in a nursing home in Seward, Alaska.
Thelma would want to be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother and person who loved children and animals. Many of her elementary students went on to become educators, engineers, and scientists. She seemed to always have one or more rescued wild animals that turned into beloved pets.
Thelma is survived by her only son, Sidney Everett Clark currently living in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife of 35 years, Susan Ellen (Trapp) Clark. There are three grandchildren: Scott E. Clark, a civil engineer in the Phoenix, Arizona area; Suzanne E. Clark, a chemical engineer graduating from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in May, 1996; and James K. Clark, a sophomore high honors student at James A. Madison Memorial High School.
Private family memorial services will be held in Madison with Reverend Davis McRoberts, Asbury United Methodist Church, on Saturday, March 16, 1996. Thelma is to be interred at Gravity, Iowa along side her deceased husband. The Reverend Paul Evans, Gravity United Methodist Church will officiate at simple graveside services at 2:00 P.M., Sunday, March 17, 1996. Local arrangements by Novinger-Taylor Funeral Home.
THELMA GRACE (PETERSON) CLARK
Thelma G. Clark, age 88 yr., 7 months, originally from Iowa and later South Dakota passed away on Tuesday, February 27, 1996 at Wesley rehabilitation and Care Center, of natural causes. Thelma was born in Mt. Etna, Iowa on July 30, 1907. Her parents were W. D. (Del) Peterson of Mt. Etna, Iowa and Flora Myrtle (Brown) Peterson of Corning, Iowa.
Thelma and her parents moved to Opal, South Dakota in 1910 to homestead south of Fox Ridge. When Thelma was in the 7th grade, her family moved east to Fedora, South Dakota near Mitchell. She graduated from Fedora High School in 1926. During the next three years, Thelma worked and studied to prepare for teaching elementary school. In 1930, with the strong encouragement of Edith Cade, Thelma tested for and obtained an Iowa Teachers Certificate. This launched her on a long and successful career in elementary school teaching. From 1930 through 1937, she taught in Adams and Taylor Counties, Iowa.
On March 6, 1937 Thelma and William Everett Clark were married in Bedford, Iowa. The groom, a lifetime native of Sharpsburg, Iowa was the son of Lela Gertrude (Keith) Clark and James Henry Clark. In the fall of 1937, the newly married couple moved to Opal, South Dakota where Thelma resumed teaching and Everett continued a family tradition of farming. On October 7, 1938 Sidney Everett Clark was born at Faith, South Dakota. In 1941, Thelma and family moved to northern Idaho and later central south Washington. Following a series of farm related jobs, Everett spent time at the Hanford site of the Manhattan Project. While it was a good paying job in a "vital" defense industry project that supported the United States war efforts, it ultimately proved fatal through death of massive cancer in February 1949. Thelma was now faced with the obligations of chief and only breadwinner. She went back to college and upgraded her teaching credentials.
In 1951, she returned to South Dakota to teach in the Cooper School District. Over the years, a number of schools, including Fox Ridge, Red Elm, Squaw Butte, Lakeside, Pleasant Valley, Hope, Mud Butte, Cottonwood, Soliday, and Dupree, were added to her list of schools and the beloved children. All were prairie schools.
Thelma always considered the prairie around Fox Ridge to be home. She was particularly proud that she had the opportunity to teach all of the Dan Wood, Willard Haines, and Walter Grueb family children.
One of Thelma's greatest goals was to receive a college degree. Unfortunately, she could not afford to go back to college full time. As the years went by many of her earned credits no longer counted toward a full four-year college degree. On the seventeenth day of August 1962, she did receive an associate degree from her beloved Black Hills Teachers College at Spearfish, South Dakota.
Thelma retired from full time teaching in 1973, but continued to do substitute teaching until 1979. In 1979 she moved to Anchorage, Alaska to live near her son Sidney's family. She became active in the Foster Grandparent Program in Anchorage. She continued to share love with children in a day care center until May 1985, when an unfortunate fall severely broke her right arm. Trauma coupled with the onset of dementia required that she live her remaining years in a nursing home in Seward, Alaska.
Thelma would want to be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother and person who loved children and animals. Many of her elementary students went on to become educators, engineers, and scientists. She seemed to always have one or more rescued wild animals that turned into beloved pets.
Thelma is survived by her only son, Sidney Everett Clark currently living in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife of 35 years, Susan Ellen (Trapp) Clark. There are three grandchildren: Scott E. Clark, a civil engineer in the Phoenix, Arizona area; Suzanne E. Clark, a chemical engineer graduating from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in May, 1996; and James K. Clark, a sophomore high honors student at James A. Madison Memorial High School.
Private family memorial services will be held in Madison with Reverend Davis McRoberts, Asbury United Methodist Church, on Saturday, March 16, 1996. Thelma is to be interred at Gravity, Iowa along side her deceased husband. The Reverend Paul Evans, Gravity United Methodist Church will officiate at simple graveside services at 2:00 P.M., Sunday, March 17, 1996. Local arrangements by Novinger-Taylor Funeral Home.
Bedford Times-Press, Wednesday, March 13, 1996
THELMA GRACE (PETERSON) CLARK
Thelma G. Clark, age 88 yr., 7 months, originally from Iowa and later South Dakota passed away on Tuesday, February 27, 1996 at Wesley rehabilitation and Care Center, of natural causes. Thelma was born in Mt. Etna, Iowa on July 30, 1907. Her parents were W. D. (Del) Peterson of Mt. Etna, Iowa and Flora Myrtle (Brown) Peterson of Corning, Iowa.
Thelma and her parents moved to Opal, South Dakota in 1910 to homestead south of Fox Ridge. When Thelma was in the 7th grade, her family moved east to Fedora, South Dakota near Mitchell. She graduated from Fedora High School in 1926. During the next three years, Thelma worked and studied to prepare for teaching elementary school. In 1930, with the strong encouragement of Edith Cade, Thelma tested for and obtained an Iowa Teachers Certificate. This launched her on a long and successful career in elementary school teaching. From 1930 through 1937, she taught in Adams and Taylor Counties, Iowa.
On March 6, 1937 Thelma and William Everett Clark were married in Bedford, Iowa. The groom, a lifetime native of Sharpsburg, Iowa was the son of Lela Gertrude (Keith) Clark and James Henry Clark. In the fall of 1937, the newly married couple moved to Opal, South Dakota where Thelma resumed teaching and Everett continued a family tradition of farming. On October 7, 1938 Sidney Everett Clark was born at Faith, South Dakota. In 1941, Thelma and family moved to northern Idaho and later central south Washington. Following a series of farm related jobs, Everett spent time at the Hanford site of the Manhattan Project. While it was a good paying job in a "vital" defense industry project that supported the United States war efforts, it ultimately proved fatal through death of massive cancer in February 1949. Thelma was now faced with the obligations of chief and only breadwinner. She went back to college and upgraded her teaching credentials.
In 1951, she returned to South Dakota to teach in the Cooper School District. Over the years, a number of schools, including Fox Ridge, Red Elm, Squaw Butte, Lakeside, Pleasant Valley, Hope, Mud Butte, Cottonwood, Soliday, and Dupree, were added to her list of schools and the beloved children. All were prairie schools.
Thelma always considered the prairie around Fox Ridge to be home. She was particularly proud that she had the opportunity to teach all of the Dan Wood, Willard Haines, and Walter Grueb family children.
One of Thelma's greatest goals was to receive a college degree. Unfortunately, she could not afford to go back to college full time. As the years went by many of her earned credits no longer counted toward a full four-year college degree. On the seventeenth day of August 1962, she did receive an associate degree from her beloved Black Hills Teachers College at Spearfish, South Dakota.
Thelma retired from full time teaching in 1973, but continued to do substitute teaching until 1979. In 1979 she moved to Anchorage, Alaska to live near her son Sidney's family. She became active in the Foster Grandparent Program in Anchorage. She continued to share love with children in a day care center until May 1985, when an unfortunate fall severely broke her right arm. Trauma coupled with the onset of dementia required that she live her remaining years in a nursing home in Seward, Alaska.
Thelma would want to be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother and person who loved children and animals. Many of her elementary students went on to become educators, engineers, and scientists. She seemed to always have one or more rescued wild animals that turned into beloved pets.
Thelma is survived by her only son, Sidney Everett Clark currently living in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife of 35 years, Susan Ellen (Trapp) Clark. There are three grandchildren: Scott E. Clark, a civil engineer in the Phoenix, Arizona area; Suzanne E. Clark, a chemical engineer graduating from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in May, 1996; and James K. Clark, a sophomore high honors student at James A. Madison Memorial High School.
Private family memorial services will be held in Madison with Reverend Davis McRoberts, Asbury United Methodist Church, on Saturday, March 16, 1996. Thelma is to be interred at Gravity, Iowa along side her deceased husband. The Reverend Paul Evans, Gravity United Methodist Church will officiate at simple graveside services at 2:00 P.M., Sunday, March 17, 1996. Local arrangements by Novinger-Taylor Funeral Home.
THELMA GRACE (PETERSON) CLARK
Thelma G. Clark, age 88 yr., 7 months, originally from Iowa and later South Dakota passed away on Tuesday, February 27, 1996 at Wesley rehabilitation and Care Center, of natural causes. Thelma was born in Mt. Etna, Iowa on July 30, 1907. Her parents were W. D. (Del) Peterson of Mt. Etna, Iowa and Flora Myrtle (Brown) Peterson of Corning, Iowa.
Thelma and her parents moved to Opal, South Dakota in 1910 to homestead south of Fox Ridge. When Thelma was in the 7th grade, her family moved east to Fedora, South Dakota near Mitchell. She graduated from Fedora High School in 1926. During the next three years, Thelma worked and studied to prepare for teaching elementary school. In 1930, with the strong encouragement of Edith Cade, Thelma tested for and obtained an Iowa Teachers Certificate. This launched her on a long and successful career in elementary school teaching. From 1930 through 1937, she taught in Adams and Taylor Counties, Iowa.
On March 6, 1937 Thelma and William Everett Clark were married in Bedford, Iowa. The groom, a lifetime native of Sharpsburg, Iowa was the son of Lela Gertrude (Keith) Clark and James Henry Clark. In the fall of 1937, the newly married couple moved to Opal, South Dakota where Thelma resumed teaching and Everett continued a family tradition of farming. On October 7, 1938 Sidney Everett Clark was born at Faith, South Dakota. In 1941, Thelma and family moved to northern Idaho and later central south Washington. Following a series of farm related jobs, Everett spent time at the Hanford site of the Manhattan Project. While it was a good paying job in a "vital" defense industry project that supported the United States war efforts, it ultimately proved fatal through death of massive cancer in February 1949. Thelma was now faced with the obligations of chief and only breadwinner. She went back to college and upgraded her teaching credentials.
In 1951, she returned to South Dakota to teach in the Cooper School District. Over the years, a number of schools, including Fox Ridge, Red Elm, Squaw Butte, Lakeside, Pleasant Valley, Hope, Mud Butte, Cottonwood, Soliday, and Dupree, were added to her list of schools and the beloved children. All were prairie schools.
Thelma always considered the prairie around Fox Ridge to be home. She was particularly proud that she had the opportunity to teach all of the Dan Wood, Willard Haines, and Walter Grueb family children.
One of Thelma's greatest goals was to receive a college degree. Unfortunately, she could not afford to go back to college full time. As the years went by many of her earned credits no longer counted toward a full four-year college degree. On the seventeenth day of August 1962, she did receive an associate degree from her beloved Black Hills Teachers College at Spearfish, South Dakota.
Thelma retired from full time teaching in 1973, but continued to do substitute teaching until 1979. In 1979 she moved to Anchorage, Alaska to live near her son Sidney's family. She became active in the Foster Grandparent Program in Anchorage. She continued to share love with children in a day care center until May 1985, when an unfortunate fall severely broke her right arm. Trauma coupled with the onset of dementia required that she live her remaining years in a nursing home in Seward, Alaska.
Thelma would want to be remembered as a loving mother, grandmother and person who loved children and animals. Many of her elementary students went on to become educators, engineers, and scientists. She seemed to always have one or more rescued wild animals that turned into beloved pets.
Thelma is survived by her only son, Sidney Everett Clark currently living in Madison, Wisconsin with his wife of 35 years, Susan Ellen (Trapp) Clark. There are three grandchildren: Scott E. Clark, a civil engineer in the Phoenix, Arizona area; Suzanne E. Clark, a chemical engineer graduating from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in May, 1996; and James K. Clark, a sophomore high honors student at James A. Madison Memorial High School.
Private family memorial services will be held in Madison with Reverend Davis McRoberts, Asbury United Methodist Church, on Saturday, March 16, 1996. Thelma is to be interred at Gravity, Iowa along side her deceased husband. The Reverend Paul Evans, Gravity United Methodist Church will officiate at simple graveside services at 2:00 P.M., Sunday, March 17, 1996. Local arrangements by Novinger-Taylor Funeral Home.
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