Helen Lenore Clark

CLARK, OAK, DORREL, MACDONALD

Posted By: Skipton
Date: 6/23/2013 at 01:11:24

Helen Lenore Clark, 93, of Iowa City died peacefully on Thursday, June 13 at Mercy Hospice after a brief illness. Services will be held at Lensing Funeral Home, 605 Kirkwood Avenue in Iowa City, on Monday, June 24 at 1:00 p.m. with visitation beginning at noon. Interment will be at the Columbus City Cemetery at 3:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to the Presbyterian Church (USA) of Columbus Junction or to a nonprofit of their choice.

Helen was born in rural Columbus Junction, Iowa on March 12, 1920, the daughter of Rose Lenore (Dorrel) Oak and Henry J. Oak. She was married to Robert Clark on September 9, 1943.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and all four of her siblings: Howard Oak, Donald Oak, Lucille MacDonald, and Ralph Oak.

Helen is survived by her three sons and their families: Edward Clark of El Paso, Texas, Donald and Joy Clark of Columbus Junction, Ron Clark and Jody Hovland of Iowa City, six grandsons, three great-grandsons, and one great-granddaughter.

After an eight-week certification course at Iowa Wesleyan, she started her long career as a teacher at the age of eighteen in a one-room country school, Old Clifton. Thereafter, Helen taught for over three decades, devoting most of her career to fifth graders in the Louisa-Muscatine school district at Grandview. Helen retired at sixty-two but continued to work as a tireless volunteer in the Columbus Community School District. She was a passionate advocate for early childhood education and for fair pay for teachers. Helen lived in Columbus Junction until moving to Iowa City in 2005.

Online condolences and memories may be left for the family at www.lensingfuneral.com