Marilyn L. Clark

Clark, Marilyn L.

Vestal: Marilyn L. Clark (Nankivel), our loving and beautiful mother of Vestal, NY, went to be with her Lord and her husband, Carol Clark Jr., and daughter, Vanessa, who predeceased her. She is also predeceased by her parents, the Rev. James Nankivel and Mae; also her sister, Doris Jones. She is survived by her children and spouses, Skip and Ronee Clark, Kyle Clark, Kelly and Dan Freed, Penny and John Pelletier, and Connie Kelley; her loving grandchildren, Paige Pelletier, Jaisen Clark, MacIntyre Felton, and Joshua Hoagland; also a very special sister-in-law, Eleanor Clark; and many nieces and nephews. As I searched through the obituaries to see what people have written about their loved ones, I find comfort of all the different styles people chose. Writing about a loved one's accomplishments, hobbies, dreams, the people they will see in Heaven now that they have passed, the ones they have left behind. We just felt our Mom needed one that read more like a book, since reading was her passion and she would share her books she bought with Aunt Eleanor and Aunt Flo and co-workers too. Our Mom was amazing; she raised six children, two sets of twins. I guess she thought if she had them by twos it would be done quicker! But it was our Dad who wanted a large family. I think they agreed on three. So as they tried for their third child, they were blessed with a fourth, not knowing until the day she delivered. So you could imagine going through menopause and finding out you're pregnant was a shock, but knowing you would be having yet another set of twins was not so shocking. Having six kids and helping your husband run a business takes a lot of patience and strength. My father enjoyed the fact that she was able to stay at home to raise the kids, of course with help from fantastic neighbors, close family friends, and relatives. One in particular was Sandra Vanvliet Ruh. She held a very special place in my Mom's heart and was truly like another daughter. Having twins four years apart was no easy task. I really think that's how the "Saturday coffee klatch" began. With so many young kids, it was easier for her to have everyone over to our house. These women where her besties on the street: Norma, Betty, Wanda, Lucille and Aunt Flo would come almost every Saturday. Connie and I loved to sit with them and hear their tales, more importantly eat the cookies and pastries the others would bring. Nowadays this would probably best be described as Lunch and Learn. So how special the service will be this Saturday, the first coffee klatch together with her friends. My Mom loved to help and be there for people no matter who you were, a close family friend, a relative if only for awhile, you needed a place to stay, you knew you were welcome to at the Clark home. We were that house on the street where all the kids used to go. Sandy's brother, Greg Vanvliet, who was also like another son, started calling her "Mrs. C." She loved to watch the soaps every day while folding her mounds of laundry on the couch. I remember so clearly one day when Connie and I actually came up to her and asked, "Can we take a nap now?" My mom loved her soaps but not as much as her Yankees. She could always be found watching each game and, when they weren't on, she would be watching a repeat of other games. How apropos her favorite player Derek Jeter is retiring this year. She worked at the Town Hall in Vestal as the Supervisor's Secretary for 10 years, which she truly enjoyed and where she made some great friends and retired from. She belonged to Beta Sigma Phi Sorority for many years. Who knew she would join a sorority after getting out of college. As we all started getting married and having kids, her grandchildren were truly a joy for her. My Mom has had her share of hardships, first losing our father 32 years ago and then losing our oldest sister 13 years ago. But she was always the strong one of the family, "the rock." I was the lucky one of us kids that was able to take her in over 11 years ago. I wouldn't change a single day spent with her and I have to thank the most wonderful man for altering his career so we could move closer to my family to help, and then eventually being able to move back home so she could be closer to the rest of her children and grandchildren. Without my husband John and daughter Paige, both of whom helped take care of our Mom, our family would have been lost. She was a special woman to many but, more importantly, the best Mom to a lot of people. A very special thank you to the Vestal Emergency Squad for all the trips to the hospital, they treated her so kind, as well as her physical therapists, Kathy, Renee, and many others. And to all the Doctors and Nurses and Aides at Wilson Memorial Hospital--our family thanks you for all that you did over the years. Funeral Services will be held Saturday 3:00 p.m. at the Leon Pucedo Funeral Home, Inc., 1905 Watson Blvd., Endicott, with the Rev. Daniel Ling officiating. Entombment will be in Vestal Hills Memorial Park at the convenience of the family. The family will receive friends at the Pucedo Funeral Home on Saturday from 1 p.m. until time of service at 3 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider expressions of sympathy in her memory to either The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, 14 Pennsylvania Plaza, Suite 1710, New York, NY 10122 or The Lupus Foundation, 1115 Front St., Binghamton, NY 13905.