Clark, Lorene (1933-2010)
CLARK, MILES, ODELL, PERRY, MILES-CONE, LEWIS, ROY, RAMSAY, BOSLEY
Posted By: Paul Nagy, volunteer (email)
Date: 12/9/2010 at 23:48:30
Lorene Clark
(March 21, 1933 - November 23, 2010)Lorene Clark, age 77, of Buffalo Center, Iowa, died Tuesday, November 23, 2010, at the Immanuel-St. Joseph Hospital in Mankato, Minnesota.
Anna Lorene Miles was born on March 21, 1933, at home into a small sharecroppers family in Montserrat, Missouri. Her parents were Frank and Nadine (Odell) Miles. Her love for music was apparent from the time she could talk. By the time Lorene was 12, she was playing guitar and singing with a band comprised of family members, her father on the fiddle and her brother, Ernest, on lead guitar and singing. They played at local square and round dances in the central Missouri area. After playing with the band for about 6 months, Lorene took over as lead singer and found that they made more tips with her singing, Ernest being the shy one.
Ernest enlisted in the Service at the age of 18 during the Korean War, and while home during a leave, he was killed in a car accident. Lorene and Ernest, only 18 months apart in age, had been very close growing up. After Ernest died, Lorene gave up singing and playing for many years. Shortly after her brother’s death, she got married and had her first child a daughter that was born on October 11, 1951.
Not until the early 1960s did Lorene start playing and singing again. She played at local homes and jam sessions in Lake Lotawana, Missouri.
In 1964, Lorene called her friend John Dunn to fix a broken cable on her boat dock. John brought his cousin Chappie Clark to assist in the repairs. Then a month later, Lorene was in Bates City playing music when Chappie came in and asked if he could drive her home, an offer she declined. Chappie did not let this incident discourage him, and he persistently asked around about her likes and dislikes.
On July 4, 1964, Lorene was at John Dunn’s home playing music for the holidays and Chappie talked with her. He had called and asked if he could come to her house, she replied, “No, not right now. I am cleaning my oven.” He replied, “I’ll clean it for you,” and he did. A few days later, he asked her out for dinner, and she accepted.
They married that September in 1964 and worked together to establish the Clark Exterminating Company, Incorporated. On January 6, 1966, Lorene gave birth to her second daughter. During this time, Lorene continued to travel to different jam sessions in the Missouri area playing and singing. She also joined SPBGMA (Society of the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America). In the mid 1980s, Chappie and Lorene retired and moved to Gheen, Minesota.
Once in Minnesota, Lorene not only played with local jam sessions but joined the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association (MBOTMA) as well as the National Traditional Country Music Association (NTCMA). She spent most of her summers touring in many different states including Arizona, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska. Lorene even had the opportunity to travel to Austria with SPBGMA to perform and judge at the International Bluegrass competition. She went to Nashville to judge bands competing in the awards show at the SPBGMA contest. NTCMA also her offered an opportunity to travel to Ireland to judge a competition there.
In 1988, Lorene was Female Vocalist at the Minnesota State Country Music Competition.
Between 1988-1996, she was nominated 7 times for Traditional Female Vocalist at the SPBGMA Mid-West Awards in Missouri.
In 2000, she was honored with the Favorite Female Vocalist Award in the old time category at the MBOTMA 25th anniversary awards ceremony.
In 2000, 2001, and 2002, she earned second place in the Jimmie Rodgers Yodeling competition at the National Traditional Country Music Association.
In 2001, she received third place in the Swiss yodeling competition and was inducted into America’s Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame located in Anita, Iowa.
From 2002 to 2010, Lorene continued to tour around the country and play at different festivals and jam session.
In 2005, Lorene and Chappie moved to Buffalo Center, Iowa, after Chappie had developed some health problems. While in Buffalo Center, Lorene started playing at some of the local churches as well as at the nursing home. These activities brought much enjoyment to the people that she played for, making her truly happy.
She is survived by three sisters: Eula Mae Perry, Verna Miles-Cone, and Darlene Lewis; two daughters: Candy Gene Clark Roy and Anna Lorene Clark; and two sons: Craig Wolfgang Ramsay and Christopher Eugene Ramsay. Lorene was blessed with twelve grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
Lorene was preceded in death by her loving husband, Chappie Clark; her father, Frank Miles; her mother, Nadine Miles; her brothers: Howard Gene Miles and Ernest Miles; her daughter, Nanette Sue Bosley; her son, Chappie Michael Ramsay; and her granddaughter, Becky Ramsay.
Friends are invited to share memories at a visitation on Saturday from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at the Winter Funeral Home, 414 First Street NW, Buffalo Center. No other services are being planned.
Copyright © 2010, Winter Funeral Home and Cremation Service
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