Marian Clark

Marian Atwood Clark, 91, passed away Thursday, June 7th, 2018 at Claremore Nursing Home.
Marian was born to Arthur and Bessie Atwood on November 11th, 1926 in Limestone, New York. She graduated from Limestone High School in 1944 and became one of the first women to graduate from St. Bonaventure University, earning an education degree in 1948.

Marian married Robert A. "Bob" Clark on December 29th, 1951 and the two lived in several states, including Hawaii, before the birth of the first of their seven children, in Texas. Bob's jobs then took them to Oklahoma, Georgia and New York before the family settled in Oologah in 1974.
A lifelong learner and educator, Marian taught school in each of the states the family lived in. Marian retired as a teacher at Oologah-Talala Public Schools, where she taught reading, geography and led the gifted and talented program.
After retirement she became active in the Oklahoma Retired Educators Association, eventually serving as president. She received the organization's first ever Retired Educator of the Year award in 2013.

Marian also served as president of the Oolagah Historical Society where she was the driving force behind the effort to commission and place a life-sized bronze statue of Will Rogers in downtown Oologah.

She was happiest when her family was home and everyone was together and she welcomed all who showed up for those wonderful gatherings.  Of course, everyone looked forward to her homemade pies with delicious flaky crusts.

She was a woman of strong faith with a talent for making everyone feel special in her eyes.  She could play the piano and organ and did so at church on many occasions.

Even with a houseful of children, her home was spotless and welcoming.

Marian was preceded in death by Bob, her husband of 52 years and her son, Roger.
She is survived by daughter Paula Drenon and husband Chuck of Arlington, Texas; daughter Marietta Farmer of Tulsa; son Robert Clark II and wife Kathy of Claremore; daughter Anne Woodland and husband Rick of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; son Richard and wife Beth of Oologah; son Rod of Oologah; daughter-in-law Jennifer Clark of Vera; 13 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be Tuesday, June 12th from 1pm-8pm at Payne Funeral Home in Claremore. Funeral mass will be Wednesday, June 13th at 10am at St. Cecilia's Catholic Church in Claremore.