Mantie Joy Clark, 1911-1936

CLARK, SHIPMAN, WITZIGMAN, WELCH, JENNISON, SCHLEGEL, STILES, DELONG, PETERS, PITSCHNER, POTTS, GREVE, THOMPSON, BYERLY, MCLEISH, HEARNE, FLOWER

Posted By: C. Diamond, IAGenWeb volunteer (email)
Date: 10/30/2012 at 09:24:58

The Oelwein Daily Register
Oelwein, Fayette County, Iowa
Tuesday, August 4, 1936
Page four, column three

-MAYNARD NEWS-
OBITUARY—MANTIE JOY CLARK

“Another page within the book of time by the Recording Angel has been turned and the story of a brief and beautiful life been told.”

Our community was surprised and shocked when Sunday, a little after noon, the word came that Mantie Joy Clark of Oelwein had answered the last call and entered the open gate of immortality.

She was born April 19, 1911 at Morning Sun, Iowa and was the only child of Gladys Shipman Clark and Charles Andrew Clark. Her father preceded her in death in November 1932. When Mantie Joy was five months of age, she came with her parents to Maynard, which has been her home until about four years ago when she went to Oelwein to teach. Her mother accompanied her and Oelwein has been their home until the present time. She attended the public school of this place, graduating with the class of 1928. She was prominent in the school activities, especially music, in which she excelled. After her graduation she attended the Iowa State Teachers College at Cedar Falls, completing the two-year course in primary methods. She taught successfully at Arlington for two years, going from there to Oelwein where for four years she has taught primary work and music at the Southside school.

Her health has been failing for the past two years. The summer of 1935 she and her mother spent in the West, hoping the change would be beneficial . In November of last year and again in April of this year she was at Rochester Minnesota for observation and treatment. The school board of Oelwein very kindly held her contract until July 1, hoping her health would improve so that she might be able to continue in her chosen work. About ten days ago her condition became more serious and she was obliged to spend part of the time in bed. On Sunday morning, August 2, the end came swiftly and silently.

The twenty-five years of her life have been filled with happy action. She loved her work and she was also prominent in church work. She joined the M.E. church at this place when a child and was an untiring worker, doing whatever her hand found to do. She joined the Maynard Chapter No. 103 Order of the Eastern Star when she was eighteen years of age and held various offices in that organization.

She was a girl of unusual talents which she was ready to use at all times for the happiness of others. She was like a ray of sunshine, not only in the home of her parents, but in that of her grandparents as well. They too will be waiting to welcome her in her eternal home.

Since her father’s death she has been her mother’s constant companion and our hearts go out in sympathy to her mother in this sad hour. Truly it is Gethsemane.

Besides her sorrowing mother she leaves an aunt and uncle and distant relatives and a host of friends to mourn her passing.

Short services were held at the home at 125 3rd Avenue northeast in Oelwein, Tuesday afternoon at one o’clock conducted by the Reverend F. C. Witzigman and at two thirty o’clock at the Methodist church in Maynard conducted by Dr. Virgil Welch of Fayette, assisted by Puriey Jennison. Music was furnished by Mrs. A. G. Schlegel and Miss Mabel Stiles who sang “God Will Take Care of You” and “Ivory Palaces.” Mrs. George DeLong preside at the piano. Following the service, the beautiful Eastern Star burial service was given. Misses Elizabeth Peters and Helen Pitschner, and Mrs. Frank Potts and Mrs. Ed Greve had charge of the flowers. The latter two are members of Mantie Joy’s graduating class. Pall bearers were Franklin Thompson, Henry Byerly, Frank McLeish, Russell Hearne, Richard Flower and Robert Flower. The first three were also members of her graduating class at Maynard. At the close of the services the body was borne to Long Grove cemetery and tenderly laid to rest by the side of her father.