Rosa Belle Clark, 103

Rosa Belle Clark, 103, of Caldwell, died Monday, Jan. 14, 2008.

Last time I a saw Great Grandma was in the winter of 2006 while up visiting and hunting in Ohio. She asked “Well, where is your wife?”, showing how sharp she still was at 103, and remembering I was married…but she did not know I had gotten a divorce. I was not going to let her know that either. I looked at me Grandpa, who wore a evil grin and a look in his eyes that seemed to say ‘well, let’s see how you handle this one.’ I replied “I left her in Texas Grandma.”. “Well,” she said “that wasn’t very nice”. My grandpa just kind of snickered.

We talked and took a few pictures. We gathered up her laundry. Even though she was in the nursing home, she did not like the way they did the laundry, so Grandpa and Grandma would come get her laundry and take it home to wash.

She asked “I guess you’re a doing some hunting ain’t ya?” I replied “yes ma’am, got 3 so far.” Now mind you, I had been hunting this morning, this Sunday morning….that is a no no to her. Sunday is God’s day. Grandpa chimes in with a low volume voice “ yup, him and Jim (my uncle) went this morning”. Now he knew that would get me in trouble. She asked “what did he say?” not hearing him thank the Lord. I said “ Oh he is just over there mumbling.” She agreed.

We talked about how long it had been since I had last been there. She remembered. We said our good byes, to which she added “I think you need to shave that face. Don’t know why you would want that on your face.” I just laughed and said ok.

I told grandpa, as we were walking down the long hall way, that she is still pretty sharp for 103 and I added he might not see his next birthday if he would have got me in trouble back there. LOL

As Jack stated in his blog, we were not the closest to her, but she will be dearly missed. I can still hear her getting on to uncle Bill about his drinking and see her out there working in the garden, hear her calling for my youngest brother, Andrew, to come get some cookies.

Funny, really, thinking about it. We were raised up some 2000 miles away, only saw her for a few brief weeks, if that long, in the summer, and I can still remember all those things in much more detail than I care to write here.

We love you Great Grandma…and put in a good word for me!

CALDWELL — Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at McVay-Perkins Funeral Home, Caldwell, for Rosa Belle Clark, 103, of Caldwell, who died Monday (Jan. 14, 2008) at Summit Acres Nursing Home, Caldwell.

Pastor Jimmy Rogers will officiate. Burial will follow in Village View Cemetery, Sarahsville.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

She was born March 4, 1904, in Noble County, daughter of the late Jacob and Mary Kirkbride Bates.

Mrs. Clark was employed by the former Caldwell Produce. She was a homemaker and operated a family farm for many years with her late husband, Little Clark.

She attended several area Free Methodist churches. She was an avid quilter, and she enjoyed gardening and crocheting.

Mrs. Clark was the oldest resident of Noble County, and she lived to see six of her children married for 50 years.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Little Zedrick Clark, on March 1, 1966. They were married June 26, 1920. Also deceased are a daughter, Mary LuCinda Anderson; a son, John Jacob Clark; a sister, Iva Bertha Bates; and three brothers, Isaac, Jimmy and Teddy Bates.

She leaves her children, Opal Juanita Leasure, Delbert Berton (Nellie) Clark and James Richard (Nancy) Clark, all of Caldwell, Zedrick J. (Kay) Clark of Senecaville, Rosa Belle (Paul) King of Caldwell, Joseph Edward (Nancy) Clark of Pleasant City and William Carl (Marianne) Clark of Belle Valley; 44 grandchildren; 101 great-grandchildren; 107 great-great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-great-grandchildren.